Survey of referral patterns and attitudes toward hyperbaric oxygen treatment among Danish oncologists, ear, nose and throat surgeons and oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

What Researchers Did

Researchers surveyed 29 Danish departments of oncology, ENT, and oral and maxillofacial surgery to understand their referral patterns and attitudes toward hyperbaric oxygen treatment for head and neck cancer patients with late radiation injury.

What They Found

Out of 21 responding departments, 14 (67%) had referred at least one patient for hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the previous year. There is a generally positive attitude towards referring patients with osteoradionecrosis for HBOT, but also a desire for better evidence regarding its role in preventing and treating soft-tissue injury and osteonecrosis after radiotherapy.

What This Means for Canadian Patients

Canadian patients with osteoradionecrosis might similarly be considered for hyperbaric oxygen treatment based on current clinical attitudes. However, the broader use of HBOT for other radiation-induced soft-tissue injuries may await stronger evidence to guide clinical practice.

Canadian Relevance

This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted exclusively in Denmark.

Study Limitations

Limitations include a relatively small number of respondents (21 out of 29 surveyed) and incomplete data from four returns.