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 randomized 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 ischemic 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.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing surgery or experiencing critical illness may not benefit from high concentrations of supplemental oxygen beyond what is needed to maintain normal oxygen saturation. Healthcare providers should carefully consider the potential side effects of increased oxygen levels, as some evidence suggests harm in conditions like myocardial infarction or 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.