Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Chronic Refractory Osteomyelitis Fayetteville, NC
Chronic Refractory Osteomyelitis
Bone infections can be hard to treat because there are limited blood vessels in the bone, and antimicrobials do not penetrate the bone very well. Chronic refractory osteomyelitis (CROM) is a bone infection that has not responded to conventional therapy, such as antimicrobials and surgical debridement, after a six-week course of treatment. Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen is an AHA Class II recommendation in the management of CROM.
These chronic bone infections can occur in pediatric patients as well as adult patients, and they are often associated with other local or systemic problems. Patients who are immunosuppressed or have other co-morbidities such as diabetes are more likely to develop CROM. In instances where the osteomyelitis is associated with a very high rate of morbidity and mortality, such as the spine, skull, or sternum, initiation of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen earlier than (6) six weeks may be of benefit.
The most common presentation for CROM is in long bones after trauma, and in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). In the DFU, about 20% of patients that are referred to a wound center will have osteomyelitis. If they do not respond to a course of conventional care, then patients should be referred for adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy as part of a multi-disciplinary approach. This is an AHA Class I recommendation.
Research & Studies
- Role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of bacterial spinal osteomyelitis.
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of chronic refractory osteomyelitis: a preliminary report.
- Oxygen tensions and infections: modulation of microbial growth, activity of antimicrobial agents, and immunologic responses.
- Results of chronic osteomyelitis of the femur treated with hyperbaric oxygen: a preliminary report
HBOT helps white blood cells kill bacteria, and help osteoclast clean up the dead and infected bone. Once the infection is under control and all the dead bone is gone, new bone is laid down by osteoclasts. These processes require high levels of oxygen to function optimally. HBOT also helps antibiotics work better, and in conjunction with some antibiotics, helps eradicate the biofilms that form in many of these cases.
INCREASES WHITE BLOOD
CELL EFFECTIVENESS
IMPROVES QUALITY
OF LIFE IN PATIENTS
STIMULATES RELEASE
OF STEM CELLS
MOST CONDITIONS
COVERED BY INSURANCE
COMMONLY, THESE PATIENTS WILL RECEIVE 40-60 TREATMENTS TO CLEAR THE INFECTION.
Does a Hyperbaric Treatment Take?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a non-invasive medical treatment administered by delivering 100% oxygen at pressures greater than two to three times the normal atmospheric (sea level) pressure to a patient in a chamber. Most HBOT treatments generally take about 2 hours. Treatments for some indications can last up to 4 hours. Serious diving injuries can require a treatment for longer than 5 hours. The hyperbaric physician will determine how long each patient’s HBOT treatment will last.
