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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Utilization in Infectious Disease

  • Infectious Disease (J Glauser, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review explores the multiple infectious processes in which the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society recommends hyperbaric oxygen as an adjunct to standard treatment to determine the benefit of including hyperbaric oxygen in standard treatment protocols.

Recent Findings

While the utilization of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) has been shown to improve outcomes, there is limited research comparing it to other therapies. There are numerous case reports and retrospective analyses of the use of HBO as adjunctive treatment, but randomized control trials are glaringly absent from recent literature.

Summary

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society recommends the utilization of HBO as an adjunct to standard treatment for necrotizing fasciitis, clostridial myonecrosis, chronic refractory osteomyelitis, malignant otitis externa, intracranial abscesses, and diabetic foot ulcers. After review of recent literature, the utilization of HBO has been shown to improve patient outcomes in the previously mentioned infectious processes when added to standard antimicrobial and surgical treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MetroHealth/CCF/CWRU Emergency Medicine Residency, 2500 Metrohealth Drive, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA

    Megan Bennett, Elizabeth Matheson & Vase Bari

  2. Department of Emergency Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, 750 Prior Hall, 376 W. 10th, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Colin G. Kaide

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  1. Megan Bennett
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Correspondence to Colin G. Kaide.

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Megan Bennett, Colin G. Kaide, Elizabeth Matheson, and Vase Bari declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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Bennett, M., Kaide, C.G., Matheson, E. et al. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Utilization in Infectious Disease. Curr Emerg Hosp Med Rep 6, 101–109 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-018-0166-5

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