What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated the combined therapy of hyperbaric oxygen and basic fibroblast growth factor for intractable leg skin ulcers in seven patients.
What They Found
Five out of seven patients (71%) experienced complete ulcer cure, while the remaining two patients showed significant ulcer size shrinkage. This combined therapy also promoted the proliferation of connective tissue, including collagen and noncollagenous protein, in the ulcer tissues.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients suffering from chronic, intractable leg skin ulcers, this combined therapy could offer a promising new treatment option. It suggests a potential pathway to healing for wounds that have not responded to conventional treatments.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or with Canadian participants.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is its very small sample size of only seven patients, making the findings preliminary.