What Researchers Did
Researchers surveyed 83 North American hyperbaric treatment centers from 1971 to 1978 to determine the clinical usage of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
Out of 57 responding centers, a total of 10,942 patients received hyperbaric oxygen therapy during the eight-year period. Of these, 8,408 patients (76%) were treated for Category I or II conditions, with the use of hyperbaric oxygen increasing for conditions like decompression sickness and carbon monoxide poisoning.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
While this 1979 study provides historical context, Canadian patients with conditions such as decompression sickness or carbon monoxide poisoning may still benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Current clinical guidelines would dictate its appropriate use for these and other approved indications.
Canadian Relevance
Although the study did not specifically focus on Canada, it surveyed North American centers, providing a broad regional overview of hyperbaric medicine usage during that period.
Study Limitations
A key limitation is that the findings are based on survey responses from 57 out of 83 centers and reflect practices from over four decades ago.