What Researchers Did
A hyperbaric medicine specialist reviewed the evidence on how transcutaneous oximetry (TcPO2), a skin oxygen measurement test, should be used to select which diabetic foot ulcer patients will benefit from HBOT and when to stop treatment.
What They Found
Transcutaneous oximetry is the only point-of-care test that directly measures tissue oxygen tension at the wound site. TcPO2 testing can identify patients whose wound hypoxia reverses with HBOT (responders) versus those it does not (non-responders), typically detectable within the first few treatment sessions. Newer technologies like near-infrared spectroscopy and thermal imaging provide additional information but do not replace TcPO2 for guiding HBOT dosing decisions.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadians receiving HBOT for diabetic foot ulcers, an OHIP-covered indication in Ontario, this review argues that TcPO2 testing should be used to confirm a patient is actually responding to HBOT before continuing a full 40-session course. This could prevent unnecessary treatments and focus resources on patients who will genuinely benefit.
Canadian Relevance
Diabetic foot ulcers are an OHIP-covered HBOT indication in Ontario.
Study Limitations
This is a narrative expert review, not a controlled study, so the recommendations reflect one expert's synthesis rather than a formal evidence appraisal.