What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted the largest systematic review to date on ear-related side effects from HBOT, analyzing 54 studies involving 18,284 patients.
What They Found
Overall, 15% of patients experienced some form of ear problem during HBOT. Of middle ear barotrauma cases, 42.8% were mild and 6.4% were severe. Key risk factors were older age, being female, having head and neck conditions or sensory neuropathy, and difficulty equalizing ear pressure before treatment. Knowing proper equalization technique was the main protective factor.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Most ear side effects from HBOT are mild and preventable. Canadian patients starting HBOT, especially older adults or those who have had head and neck cancer treatment, should be taught ear pressure equalization techniques before their first session to reduce their risk of complications.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified, but this safety data is relevant to all Canadian HBOT centres, which should screen patients for risk factors before treatment begins.
Study Limitations
The 54 included studies varied widely in how they defined and measured ear complications, so the 15% figure reflects a range of severity levels that are not directly comparable across studies.