Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for complex wound management following breast cancer treatment: Single institution 10-year experience.

What Researchers Did

Researchers conducted a retrospective review of 20 patients who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for non-healing wound complications following breast cancer surgery at a single institution over a 10-year period.

What They Found

All 20 patients (100%) who underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for post-mastectomy wound complications achieved complete wound healing, with a median of 30.5 sessions. Early initiation of HBOT significantly correlated with faster healing times (p=0.023), and only one patient experienced a transient adverse effect.

What This Means for Canadian Patients

For Canadian patients experiencing non-healing wounds after breast cancer surgery, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) could be a viable treatment option. This approach may facilitate complete wound healing and prevent delays in crucial subsequent cancer therapies.

Canadian Relevance

This study was conducted at a single institution outside of Canada, so direct Canadian relevance is not established.

Study Limitations

This was a retrospective, single-institution study with a small sample size, which limits the generalizability of its findings.