What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a systematic review to examine if hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) before and after surgery helps or harms patients with soft tissue injuries requiring skin flap or graft procedures.
What They Found
This review included 24 studies with 2246 patients, including 13 randomized controlled trials. Four of these trials demonstrated a significant positive effect of HBOT on flap and graft survival (log odds ratio 1.045, P < 0.001). The study concluded with a strong recommendation for using pre- and postoperative HBOT to help heal flaps and grafts in soft tissue and trauma wounds.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients facing severe soft tissue injuries that might require skin flap or graft surgery, this review suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be a beneficial treatment option. Using HBOT before and after these procedures may help improve the healing of flaps and grafts, potentially preventing serious complications.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this systematic review is that many of the included studies, particularly non-randomized trials, had a moderate to serious risk of bias.