What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed 25 years of clinical records for 34 patients with Fournier's gangrene treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy at their center.
What They Found
Of 34 patients, 94.1% were male with a mean age of 53.7 years, and diabetes was the most common comorbidity. The urinary tract was the most frequent source of infection, and the overall mortality rate was 20.8%.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with Fournier's gangrene may benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an additional treatment alongside surgery and antibiotics. This therapy could potentially improve outcomes, especially for those with comorbidities like diabetes, if it is accessible.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted at a single center outside of Canada.
Study Limitations
This study is limited by its retrospective, single-center design and the small number of patients reviewed.