Results of treating patients with cellulitis by hyperbaric oxygen: a case-control study
Abstract
Background: Cellulitis is an acute bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The characteristic
symptoms of the disease are an area of skin that is swollen, warmth, redness, pain, unknown borderline,
tends to expand, and can lead to tissue necrosis. Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) is a non-drug treatment, which
has the effect of relieving pain, reducing edema, and accelerating the wound healing process for patients
with cellulitis. This study aims to evaluate the results of treating patients with cellulitis by HBO.
Materials and methods: A case-control study was conducted. 89 patients were diagnosed with cellulitis
and treated at VINIMAM from January 2022 to December 2023. The study group included 48 patients
treated with HBO combined with intravenous antibiotics, wound care. The reference group included 41
patients who were not treated with HBO but were treated with intravenous antibiotics, wound care.
Results: The pain relief level of the study group was better than that of the reference group (VAS score after
one day of treatment: 4.34 and 5.78, after 2 days: 2.46 and 4.17, after 3 days: 1.28 and 3.35). The time
for edema to subside in the study group was shorter than in the reference group. The circumference
of the cellulitis area in the study group shrunk better than in the reference group. The average days of treatment
in the study group were less than the reference group (8.33 ± 2.67 days and 13.17 ± 4.78 days).
Conclusion: Hyperbaric Oxygen was a good method to treat cellulitis, helped to reduce pain, was
anti-inflammatory, reduced edema, and shortened treatment time.
Keywords: cellulitishyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) Vietnam National Institute of Maritime Medicine (VINIMAM)
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