Diving Hyperb Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Characterization of early thermal burns and the effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment: a pilot study.
Studies investigating hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) to improve outcome in burns have been inconclusive. In this study, we aimed to characterize early thermal burns injury in adult patients with < 40% total body surface area (TBSA) and to determine the effects of HBOT administered within 24 h to 48 h of a burn injury. ⋯ Slower than anticipated recruitment resulted in considerably fewer patients than planned being studied. Inflammatory markers were significantly increased at 24 h in patients with < 40% TBSA burn. Early HBOT had no apparent effects on any of the parameters measured in this small pilot study. HBOT may possibly have a broad-spectrum antimicrobial effect worthy of further study. We report our methodology in detail as a possible model for future burns studies.