What Researchers Did
Researchers tested whether giving hyperbaric oxygen therapy before pancreas surgery changed patients' recovery and long-term survival.
What They Found
This randomized controlled trial of 33 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy found no meaningful difference in perioperative outcomes or inflammatory markers between the 17 patients who received preoperative hyperbaric oxygen and the 16 who did not. Pain scores at postoperative day 30 were lower in the hyperbaric oxygen group (1 plus or minus 1.3 versus 3 plus or minus 3.0, p equals 0.05), and the hyperbaric oxygen group had a lower percentage of positive lymph nodes (7 percent versus 14 percent, p less than 0.001). However, overall survival was inferior in patients who received preoperative hyperbaric oxygen compared to those who did not (p equals 0.03).
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The study included only 33 patients, which is too small to draw firm conclusions, and the finding of inferior survival with preoperative hyperbaric oxygen was not explained by any measured difference in inflammatory markers or perioperative complications.