Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Perineal Crohn’s Disease

Perineal lesions are a frequent and troublesome com plication of Crohn’s disease. Although there are various surgical and medical therapeutic regimens available totreat these lesions, all have significant associated mor bidity, mortality, and toxicity. Recently, the beneficial effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) have been described in patients with severe or refractory perineal disease, but the role of HBOT in larger groups or lessseverely affected patients has not yet been studied, nor has the minimum number of treatments required for initial or complete healing of perineal disease in thispopulation been described. This article reviews the known and theoretical tissue effects of HBOT and dis cusses its potential role in treating patients with perineal Crohn’s disease.