Uso de oxígeno hiperbárico para el manejo de heridas: bases físicas, biológicas y evidencia disponible / Use of hyperbaric oxygenation for wound management

ABSTRACT

Hyperbaric oxygenation consists in exposing patients to increased gas pressures while inhaling pure oxygen. It involves the use of hyperbaric chambers that can double or triple gas pressure inside them. Hyperbaric oxygenation may be useful in different clinical situations, but mostly for the treatment of decompression syndrome. In the last decades, it has been used for the management of different kinds of wounds. Hyperbaric oxygenation not only increases the delivery of oxygen to damaged tissues, but also stimulates angiogenesis, collagen synthesis, stem cell migration and local immune response. Clinical trials that have addressed the use of hyperbaric oxygenation are difficult to compare due to their heterogeneity in terms of experimental design, kind of injuries involved and assessment of outcome. Even though, most studies support the concept that hyperbaric oxygenation accelerates the healing process.