Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for diabetic foot ulcers.

Foot ulcers are a common and devastating complication of diabetes. Many patients with diabetic foot ulcers experience significant disability and ultimately require amputation. Despite attentive management with multiple modalities including surgical debridement, relief of pressure, and other standard measures, many diabetic foot ulcers persist as chronic, nonhealing wounds. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is an effective adjunct to standard modalities for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. HBO therapy increases oxygen tension in tissues, thereby supporting physiologic wound healing while inhibiting the growth of anaerobic organisms. Randomized clinical studies confi rm that HBO therapy accelerates wound healing and decreases the need for amputation in patients with diabetic foot ulcers.