What Researchers Did
Researchers treated two patients with interstitial cystitis, resistant to conventional therapies, with 20 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
After hyperbaric oxygen therapy, both patients experienced disappearance of bladder mucosal ulcers and inhibition of pain and urinary frequency. No adverse events occurred during the 20 treatment sessions, though one patient experienced mild, transient Eustachian tube dysfunction.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with interstitial cystitis who have not responded to standard treatments, hyperbaric oxygen therapy might offer a potential alternative. However, more extensive research is needed to confirm its effectiveness and safety before widespread clinical use.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted in Japan.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is the extremely small sample size of only two patients.