DOES HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY REALLY TREAT DIABETIC ULCERS?

One of the most common complications of diabetes is chronic foot ulcers, which are caused by the effects of high blood sugar levels. This reduces blood flow to the wound. The tissues around the wound have low oxygen levels. The cells responsible for healing wounds cannot function normally to build tissue. As a result, the wound heals slowly and may cause bacterial resistance, leading to amputation.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a therapy in which the patient breathes 100 percent pure oxygen while in an atmospheric control room with an internal pressure of more than 1 atmosphere.

Breathing in this way will provide the body with a higher oxygen intake than breathing with pure oxygen at a normal atmosphere. This makes the blood have enough oxygen to promote and stimulate the growth of tissues and capillaries, as well as help blood flow to the ischemic organs.

The positive effect of HBO treatment is that it reduces disability and organ loss, which in some cases may require surgery to remove the organ, such as amputating a finger or toe. It helps various chronic wounds caused by lack of oxygen heal faster. Therefore, the duration of treatment is shortened. You can do your normal daily routine faster and reduce costs.

In addition to treating chronic ulcers from diabetes, HBOT also has indications as recognized by the American Society of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine (UHMS) today, including:

1. CO Poisoning and Smoke Inhalation
2. Tissue infection by anaerobic bacteria. (Clostridial Gas Gangrene)
3. Crush Injury: Compartment Syndrome, Acute Traumatic Ischemia.
4. Chronic ulcers in diabetic patients (pressure ulcer) Ulcers due to poor circulation in veins or arteries (ischemic ulcers)
5. Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection
6. chronic infection of the bone membrane; (Refractory Osteomyelitis)
7. Compromised Skin Graft or Flap
8. Radiation Injury
   • Bone and tissue death due to radiation exposure (Osteoradionecrosis / ORN)
   • Tissue death due to radiation exposure (Soft Tissue Radionecrosis / STRN)
   • Radiation Caries
9. Thermal Burn
10. Intracranial Abscess