What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated if measuring oxygen levels through the skin could predict which patients with severe leg circulation problems and open sores would benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
Out of 36 patients with severe leg circulation problems and non-healing wounds, all had low baseline oxygen levels in their tissues. Among the 27 patients whose skin oxygen levels increased by more than 10 torr when breathing oxygen, 19 (70%) healed their wounds with hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 2.0 to 2.5 atm. In contrast, only one of the nine patients whose skin oxygen levels increased by less than 10 torr healed.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This study suggests that transcutaneous oxygen measurements can help identify patients with critical limb ischemia and non-healing wounds who are more likely to benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This could help Canadian doctors make more informed decisions about who receives this treatment for complex wounds, potentially saving time and resources.
Canadian Relevance
This study was not conducted in Canada and does not include Canadian authors. However, its findings are relevant to the treatment of non-healing wounds associated with critical limb ischemia, a condition that can lead to diabetic foot ulcers, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
The study involved a relatively small number of patients (36), which may limit the generalizability of its findings.