What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively evaluated the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an adjuvant treatment in 13 neurosurgery patients with surgical site infections at a single clinic between 2019 and 2022.
What They Found
The 13 patients, with a mean age of 55.2 years, received an average of 30 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. All cases showed significant decreases in sedimentation and CRP values, along with significant radiological improvement, and no implant revision was needed in the seven cases with surgical implants.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy could potentially serve as a valuable additional treatment option for Canadian patients experiencing complex surgical site infections, particularly in neurosurgery. This approach may help reduce inflammation, improve healing, and potentially avoid the need for implant removal in some cases.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted outside of Canada and does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study's main limitations include its retrospective design, small sample size of 13 cases, and single-center experience.