What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on postoperative paralytic ileus and recurrent intestinal obstruction in 133 patients who recently underwent surgery for adhesive intestinal obstruction.
What They Found
Of 133 patients, 75 were discharged without complications, while 39 experienced postoperative ileus or early recurrence. Patients receiving prophylactic HBO therapy (n=19) had significantly shorter non-per os periods and hospital stays compared to those not initially given HBO (P < 0.05). HBO therapy also significantly reduced hospital stay when used as a treatment for existing conditions compared to other conservative therapies (P < 0.05).
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor does it involve Canadian researchers or specific Canadian health data.
Study Limitations
The study's limitations include its non-randomized design and the relatively small number of patients in the prophylactic hyperbaric oxygen therapy group.