What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed recent findings regarding the benefits and harms of oxygen therapy in anesthesia and acute medical conditions.
What They Found
Large randomised trials did not show significant reductions in surgical site infections with 80% oxygen during and after abdominal surgery and cesarean section. No benefit was documented for hyperbaric oxygen in acute ischaemic stroke, and emerging data suggest increased mortality with normobaric supplemental oxygen for myocardial infarction without heart failure. Hyperoxia also appeared to adversely affect survival and neurologic outcomes in patients after cardiac arrest.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or by Canadian researchers.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this review is the acknowledged large heterogeneity in the reported results of the studies it synthesized.