The Experience of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Earthquake-Related Crush Injuries: Could Be Beneficial Even with Delay in Initiation

What Researchers Did

Researchers studied 33 patients with severe crush injuries from the 2023 Turkey earthquakes who received HBOT at a hyperbaric center, examining limb salvage rates even when treatment started an average of 195 hours (over 8 days) after rescue.

What They Found

Despite delayed initiation, 78.8% of patients avoided amputation after HBOT. Of patients who had fasciotomies before HBOT, 72.4% had their wounds close without further complications. All amputations occurred in patients with the most severe injuries.

Canadian Relevance

No direct Canadian connection identified. Relevant to trauma care planning for industrial and mining accidents common in parts of Canada.

Study Limitations

There was no control group; injury severity varied widely, and the earthquake context involved logistical delays not representative of standard trauma systems.