What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed 41 patients with mandibular osteoradionecrosis, comparing outcomes for 20 who received hyperbaric oxygen after initial surgical failure with 21 treated by surgery and antibiotics alone.
What They Found
In the hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) group (n=20), the overall success rate after initial surgical failure was 13 out of 20 patients. For the non-HBO group (n=21) treated with surgery and antibiotics, repeated debridement was successful in 10 out of 11 patients. The researchers concluded that with a 13/20 success rate, HBO is not recommended for osteoradionecrosis treatment.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This study suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy may not be an effective salvage treatment for severe osteoradionecrosis of the mandible after surgical failure. Canadian patients with this condition might therefore expect surgical and antibiotic approaches to be prioritized over HBO, given its limited success rate in this review.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a retrospective review, this study may be subject to selection bias and lacks the controlled conditions of a randomized trial.