What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed the outcomes of 22 patients who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy at a medical center between 1976 and 1979 for various conditions.
What They Found
Overall, 17 out of 22 patients (77%) benefited from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This included both gas gangrene patients, four out of five osteomyelitis patients (80%), and 10 out of 13 soft tissue wound patients (77%) who experienced healing. One of two carbon monoxide poisoning patients also showed improvement.
Canadian Relevance
This study was not conducted in Canada nor by Canadian authors. However, it covers Health Canada-recognised indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, including carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, and osteomyelitis.
Study Limitations
This study is a small case series without a control group, which limits the ability to draw broad conclusions about the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.