What Researchers Did
Researchers treated two patients with severe ear infections, known as necrotizing otitis externa, using hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
Both patients, one with facial nerve palsy and the other with skull base involvement, received hyperbaric oxygen therapy after their antibiotic treatment was reduced or stopped due to severe side effects. Following HBOT, both patients experienced complete healing of their necrotizing otitis externa, and the infection did not return.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients suffering from severe necrotizing otitis externa, this study suggests hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be a beneficial additional treatment. This may be particularly relevant for those who experience difficulties or side effects with traditional antibiotic regimens.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is its very small sample size, as it only reports on two individual cases.