What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a prospective study to identify risk factors for middle-ear barotrauma (MEB) in 130 patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) in a multiplace chamber between January and December 2005.
What They Found
Middle-ear barotrauma occurred in 13.6% of the patients, with 12.4% of conscious patients and 24.4% of intubated patients experiencing it, though the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.26). Repetitive treatments and difficulties with pressure equalization were identified as risk factors for MEB, while age, sex, or mechanical ventilation had no influence.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be aware that repetitive treatments and difficulty equalizing pressure may increase their risk of middle-ear barotrauma. Communicating equalization difficulties to their care team is important to potentially mitigate this common side effect.
Canadian Relevance
This study was not conducted in Canada and does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its single-center design, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations or treatment settings.