J Plast Surg | Volume 3, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access
Shivangi S1 , Amiteshwar S1 , Shruthi C1 , Soumya G2 , Maneesh S1 and Sushma S3 *
1Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India 2Department of General Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India 3Division of Trauma Surgery, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India
*Correspondance to: Sushma Sagar
Fulltext PDFBackground: Wounds that do not heal as expected are a matter of great concern for both the patient and the clinician. These are in turn subjected to variety of adjuvant therapies including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), which despite growing evidence, still has debatable indications. We aim to examine and report on the factors determining its applicability in a trauma center. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients subjected to adjunctive HBOT between November 2016 and March 2020 was performed. Patients were given adjunctive HBOT while adhering to wound bed preparation principles and best practices of care. Demographic data, wound characteristics and outcomes of therapy in relation to predefined treatment goal were analyzed. Results: A total of 268 cases were given therapy with most common indication being surgical wound dehiscence (32.8%). Post-traumatic wounds from road traffic accidents made up 74.2% of the total. 71.9% of individuals who received therapy met their treatment objectives out of which 78.6% post-surgical wounds, 78.3% of post-traumatic wounds and 86.1% of non-healing wounds achieved treatment goals, the results being statistically significant only for non-healing wounds. Wounds that did not meet treatment goals included digital ischemia of hand (72.2%) or Frost Bite (100%) as well as flaps with compromised vascularity (64.2%). HBOT was shown to improve healing rates for all wound ages, whether chronic, subacute, or acute. It was also shown to play a significant role in healing of infected wounds. Conclusion: In our experience, HBOT service is a must for a busy trauma center. We recommend that the therapy be included in wound healing management algorithms for all kinds of acute or chronic wounds and administered on case-to-case basis. Levels of evidence and study type: Level V, therapeutic/care management.
Surgical wound infection; Surgical flaps; Frostbite; Crush injuries; Acute traumatic wounds
Shivangi S, Amiteshwar S, Shruthi C, Soumya G, Maneesh S, Sushma S. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: A Must for Trauma Centers?. J Plast Surg. 2023; 3(1): 1013.