What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial to evaluate hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus compressed air in 20 patients with Ficat stage II unilateral femoral head necrosis.
What They Found
Significant pain improvement was demonstrated for hyperbaric oxygen after 20 treatments, and range of motion improved significantly between 20 and 30 treatments. Seven years later, all patients remained substantially pain-free with none requiring hip arthroplasty, and substantial radiographic healing was observed in 7 of 9 hips.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with early-stage femoral head necrosis might experience reduced pain and improved hip function with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This treatment could potentially prevent the need for hip replacement surgery and promote long-term healing.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study was limited by a small sample size of 20 patients and became observational after the initial 6-week blinded treatment phase.