Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can treat iatrogenic spine surgery infection — 6 key facts

Spine

According to a study published in the Spine Journal, patients with an iatrogenic spine infection responded well to treatment when it involved hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with medication.

Researchers applied hyperbaric oxygen therapy in 19 cases of patients with iatrogenic spinal infection after the patients did not improve clinically or show any decrease in infection markers after three weeks of antibiotic treatments. HBO therapy was administered in 120 minute sessions simultaneously with antiobiotherapy. Patients were evaluated on clinical and laboratory results, duration of HBO therapy and the findings from post-treatment follow-up examinations.

 

Here are six key facts:

 

1. Twelve of the iatrogenic spinal infections occurred after spinal instrumentation and seven infections occurred after the microdiscectomy.

 

2. Most iatrogenic spinal infections were in the lumbar region.

 

3. Patients received an average of 20.1 HBO therapy sessions.

 

4. Wound discharge and clinical laboratory findings recovered in all the patients who underwent HBO therapy.

 

5. The follow-up was a mean duration of 23 months, and researchers found no patients had a recurrence of iatrogenic infection.

 

6. In conclusion, HBO therapy is safe and effective as a treatment for iatrogenic spinal infections when antibiotics alone fail to work.

 

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