Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Wound Dehiscence After Intraoral Bone Grafting in the Nonirradiated Patient: A Case Series

Purpose: In maxillofacial surgery, hyperbaric oxygen treatment is used almost exclusively as adjunctive therapy for osteoradionecrosis of the mandible in irradiated patients. It also is used to prevent the occur rence of osteoradionecrosis in the irradiated patient when dental surgery is indicated. Theoretically, hyper baric oxygen therapy should benefit the nonirradiated patient in maxillofacial surgery (eg, patients with persistent intraoral wound dehiscences after bone grafting).Materials and Methods: Six nonirradiated patients underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy because of compromised wound healing after intraoral bone grafting of the maxilla as a preimplant procedure. All patients were treated 7 to 26 times with hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 2.5 ATA.Results: All patients healed uneventfully. In retrospect, almost all patients had a history of chronic maxil lary sinusitis or trauma to the operated area.Conclusion: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy seems to be an effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of nonirradiated patients with compromised intraoral maxillary bone graft healing. Chronic maxillary sinus problems or a history of trauma could predispose to wound dehiscence after bone grafting.