Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Postoperative Organ/Space Sternal Surgical Site Infections

AbstractBackground A prospective trial was designed to evaluatethe effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on organ/space sternal surgical site infections (SSIs) following car diac surgery that requires sternotomy.Methods A total of 32 patients who developed postop erative organ/space sternal SSI were enrolled in this study from 1999 through 2005. All patients were offered HBOtherapy. Group 1 included the patients who accepted andwere able to undergo HBO therapy (n = 14); group 2 in cluded patients who refused HBO therapy or had contra indications to it (n = 18).Results The two groups were well matched at baseline with comparable preoperative clinical characteristics and operative factors. Staphylococcus was the most commonpathogen for both groups. The duration of infection was similar in groups 1 and 2 (31.8 7.6 vs. 29.3 5.7 days, respectively, p = 0.357). The infection relapse rate wassignificantly lower in group 1 (0% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.024).Moreover, the duration of intravenous antibiotic use (47.8 ± 7.4 vs. 67.6 ± 25.1 days, p = 0.036) and total hospital stay (52.6 ± 9.1 vs. 73.6 ± 24.5 days, p = 0.026) were bothsignificantly shorter in group 1.Conclusion Hyperbaric oxygen is a valuable addition to the armamentarium available to physicians for treating postoperative organ/space sternal SSI.