Non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can significantly increase the risk of amputations, posing a major challenge in clinical practice. While hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has shown potential as an adjunct to standard wound care (SWC), its impact on reducing amputation rates remains controversial. A recent study in Cureus aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining HBOT with SWC compared to SWC alone in patients with DFUs.¹

This prospective, randomized, controlled trial included 60 adult patients with DFUs. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving adjuvant HBOT with SWC (n=30) and the other receiving SWC alone (n=30).¹ The HBOT protocol involved 24 sessions (six each week) at 3.0 absolute atmospheric pressure for 45 minutes over four weeks. Outcomes assessed by the researchers included wound size reduction, wound bed condition, complications, and incidence of amputation, with follow-up evaluations at four weeks.¹

Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in pain, wound size, and inflammation compared to baseline (p<0.001).¹ However, the HBOT plus SWC group showed superior outcomes, including greater wound size reduction, healthier granulation tissue formation, and lower rates of minor amputations (all p=0.001). The safety profile was comparable between the groups, with no significant differences in complications (p=0.198).¹

In conclusion, the authors found that in their study, the addition of HBOT to SWC enhanced healing in DFUs and significantly reduced minor amputation rates without increasing complications. These findings support integrating HBOT as an adjunct in non-healing DFU management, offering healthcare professionals a potential option for improving patient outcomes.

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