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Hyperbaric oxygen may be useful for chronic osteomyelitis
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Results published in Orthopedics showed hyperbaric oxygen may safely manage and be a potentially useful adjunctive intervention for chronic osteomyelitis of various etiologies.
In a systematic literature review, researchers identified 96 studies that reported on the use of hyperbaric oxygen. Of these, 45 studies with 460 patients with chronic osteomyelitis were analyzed qualitatively. The collected studies included 14 retrospective and six prospective cohort studies, 20 case reports and five animal studies published between 1971 and 2017.
Results showed antibiotics and surgical debridement had been previously used in all patients. In most of the studies, researchers found mixed bacterial flora detected. According to results, 60% of the cohort studies and 20% of the case studies identified Staphylococcus aureus as the isolated pathogen. Researchers also noted 80% and 95% of the cohort and case studies, respectively, showed adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen was an effective treatment for chronic osteomyelitis. Successful outcome and no reported relapse were found in 73.5% of 419 patients with complete data, according to results.
“Hyperbaric oxygen combined with other important therapeutic interventions, such as antibiotics and/or surgical debridement, was associated with high recovery rates of chronic osteomyelitis, especially when followed by a secure stabilization of the bone and removal of the infected implant,” the authors wrote. “Nevertheless, quality data regarding this finding are scarce. Randomized controlled trials should be conducted to investigate the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen for chronic osteomyelitis.” – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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