What Researchers Did
Doctors at two Australian hospitals reviewed 30 years of records for patients treated with HBOT for avascular necrosis (bone death from poor blood supply) affecting the hip and knee, tracking outcomes in 14 patients with 21 affected joints.
What They Found
In the hip group, 64% of joints showed stable or improved MRI scans after HBOT, and 71% of patients reported good outcomes; 3 of 14 required surgery. In the knee group, all 5 joints were stable or improved on MRI after treatment, 4 patients reported good outcomes, and none required surgery. Three patients developed mild ear barotrauma as a side effect.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Avascular necrosis of the hip is a known complication of long-term steroid use, alcohol use, and certain infections, all relevant conditions in Canada. This 30-year dataset suggests HBOT may prevent disease progression and reduce the need for joint replacement surgery in properly selected patients, though it is not an approved OHIP-funded indication.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
With only 14 patients over 30 years, this is a very small retrospective study without a control group, making it impossible to know how many patients would have improved without treatment.