What Researchers Did
Researchers compared outcomes in 253 patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections (flesh-eating disease), 143 who received HBOT plus standard surgical care and 110 who received surgical care alone during the COVID-19 pandemic when HBOT was unavailable.
What They Found
Patients who received HBOT had a significantly lower 90-day death rate compared to those who did not (5.8% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.015). The survival benefit was especially strong for patients with large wounds (450 cm² or more) and those who were critically ill (high APACHE II scores), with HBOT reducing the risk of death by 88% in that subgroup (odds ratio 0.12).
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The non-HBOT group was largely defined by COVID-19 era service disruptions, meaning unmeasured differences in care quality during that period may have contributed to worse outcomes independent of HBOT.