The benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy during reconstructive surgery has been confirmed both clinically, and through experimental data, but still widely underutilized by plastic surgeons. This review study details the benefits and role that hyperbaric oxygen plays within the discipline of plastic and reconstructive surgery. <view study> Read Less

Deep chemical peels are commonly used by plastic surgeons to help with severely sun damaged skin, coarse wrinkles, scars, and even pre-cancerous growths. The procedure uses a chemical, Phenol, that removes the top layer of skin, causing smoother and younger looking skin to grow back. Phenol are the most aggressive type of skin peel, but can produce more dramatic results. The downside is that it involves longer recovery times. This is where hyperbaric oxygen comes into the picture. Hyperbaric therapy helps to speed up healing. In this study, patients undergoing phenol chemical peel (PCP) were divided into 2 groups. The first group had PCP only and the second group had 5 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy following PCP. The Results: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy following PCP was associated with faster recovery as assessed by both patients and caregivers <view study> Read Less

A 77 year old male went in for a routine knee replacement surgery. Following this procedure, he began to decline in both his physical and mental capacities. The symptoms got progressively worse and about 4 years later, he was evaluated and given a brain imaging (SPECT) scan, and he was immediately given a diagnosis of dementia with major cognitive deficits and aphasia (the loss of ability to understand or express speech). It was determined that the cause of his dementia was a post-op complication from his previous knee surgery and began a course of 40 sessions inside of a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. After 5 months, both his physical and cognitive functions were substantially restored. The follow up brain imaging scan confirmed these results. Complications from major (and even minor) operations are not uncommon and sometimes not even diagnosed at the time, and in cases like this, 4 or 5 years after the surgical procedure. This study brings to light the benefits that can be achieved with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, even years after the surgery. <view study> Read Less

With the growing incidence of strokes and heart attacks, medical disabilities for these, and other age-related conditions, are on the rise. Preconditioning the body and its vital organs may be of critical importance for today's aging and disease-ridden society. This new study looked at preconditioning the brain with hyperbaric oxygen therapy and showed that it reduced postoperative cognitive dysfunction. More specifically, they reported, "Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning has proved to protect vital organs, such as the heart, liver, and brain. ... We conclude that hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning is an effective and feasible method to prevent, alleviate, and improve postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and that its mechanism of action is very complex, involving the stimulation of endogenous antioxidant and anti-inflammation defense systems." <view study> Read Less

Cosmetic treatments like facial fillers are gaining popularity, but not without risks. One of the more serious complications following this cosmetic procedure is blindness. A case report was presented where HBOT was applied for 14 days, causing visual acuity to return back to normal. The clinical implications of this study are massive for certain groups of individuals who are at greater risk for blindness following facial fillers <view study> Read Less