What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated the utility of indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (IGFA) to assess perfusion in chronic wounds undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2).
What They Found
In 26 patients with chronic wounds, the median ingress rate, a measure of blood flow, increased from 0.90 units/second at baseline to 2.45 units/second after approximately 10 HBO2 sessions, and further to 3.70 units/second post-HBO2. While overall median ingress rates increased, 6 of 11 patients showed a decrease in ingress rate from baseline to mid-therapy.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This study suggests that indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (IGFA) could be a useful tool for Canadian clinicians to monitor changes in blood flow to chronic wounds during hyperbaric oxygen therapy. By assessing perfusion changes, IGFA may help guide treatment decisions and potentially identify patients who are responding well or poorly to HBO2.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian participants or researchers.
Study Limitations
A key limitation of this preliminary study is its small sample size, which restricts the ability to definitively clarify the predictive benefit of IGFA for wound healing.