What Researchers Did
Researchers prospectively collected registry data from patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy at a single academic hospital in Korea to evaluate the occurrence of seizures between October 2016 and December 2019.
What They Found
Out of 10,425 hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions provided to 1,308 patients, five seizure episodes occurred. The overall frequency of seizures was 0.048%, but it was significantly higher in patients treated for carbon monoxide poisoning (0.148%) and arterial gas embolism (3.448%). None of the patients experienced lasting effects from these seizures.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, particularly for conditions like carbon monoxide poisoning or arterial gas embolism, should be aware of the rare but possible risk of seizures. While seizures are a serious side effect, this study suggests they typically do not result in lasting adverse effects.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted in Korea and does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study's findings are limited by its single-center design at one academic hospital in Korea, which may not be generalizable to other settings.