What Researchers Did
Turkish doctors reviewed records of 35 patients with severe crush injuries from the February 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquake who received HBOT, examining whether the treatment helped recovery.
What They Found
After HBOT, 54.3% of patients regained sensory function and 51.4% regained functional movement. The minor amputation rate was 20.0% and the major amputation rate was 11.4%. Patients who started HBOT sooner had better outcomes.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
In a disaster scenario involving crush injuries, such as a building collapse, HBOT started quickly may help reduce the need for amputation and support nerve and muscle recovery. Canadian emergency and trauma centres with access to hyperbaric facilities could consider HBOT as part of a crush injury protocol, particularly when started within the first 24-48 hours.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This retrospective study had no control group, making it impossible to know how these patients would have recovered without HBOT.