What Researchers Did
Researchers evaluated the potential benefits of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy in 28 patients with chronic refractory osteomyelitis, comparing it to a control group after initial debridement.
What They Found
In 28 patients with chronic refractory osteomyelitis, 14 received hyperbaric oxygen therapy (100% oxygen, two atmospheres pressure, two hours, six dives per week) after initial debridement. The study found that hyperbaric oxygen had no effect on length of hospitalization, wound repair speed, initial clinical outcome, or infection recurrence compared to the control group.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with chronic refractory osteomyelitis may not experience improved outcomes from adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This suggests that resources might be better directed towards other established treatments for this condition.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study's small sample size, relatively old data (1980-1985), and exclusion of patients with complex comorbidities limit the generalizability of its findings.