What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed existing studies to evaluate how effective and safe hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is for treating poor blood flow issues after immediate breast reconstruction surgery.
What They Found
Five studies involving 409 patients, with 75 receiving HBOT, showed that therapy typically started within 10 days post-surgery and involved 10-20 sessions at 2.0-2.5 ATA. HBOT led to an 82% flap salvage rate and a 78% pocket salvage rate. Reoperation rates were 15%, explantation rates were 8%, and postoperative infections occurred in 3% of patients.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The study's findings are limited because they are based on a small number of observational studies, which means the evidence is not very strong.