What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of surgery combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for refractory osteoradionecrosis of the jaws in 18 patients.
What They Found
Out of 18 patients treated with surgery and hyperbaric oxygen, 14 (78%) achieved complete healing, while 3 (17%) showed improvement. One patient (5%) showed no improvement, and among those with complete healing, 4 still had a mandibular discontinuity defect.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This combined therapy could be an effective option for Canadian patients suffering from severe, persistent osteoradionecrosis of the jaw. It may help improve healing outcomes and quality of life for those who have not responded to other treatments.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or with Canadian participants.
Study Limitations
A key limitation of this study is its retrospective design and small sample size of only 18 patients, which limits the generalizability of the findings.