Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Physician Assistant Studies
Committee Chair
Trey Boyd
Abstract
Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU) are a common complication of Diabetes Mellitus, which is the most common cause of amputations in the US. The purpose of this clinical review is to analyze the impact of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on reducing amputations and improving healing rates in DFUs. PubMed was searched using the key terms “Diabetic Foot Ulcer,” “Amputation,” and “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.” With the addition of filters, Mesh terms, and Boolean operations, 18 results were yielded. The inclusion and exclusion criteria narrowed the search to 6 articles, which were used for this review. The 6 articles included in this study were meta-analyses, comparing adjunctive HBOT to standard wound care. Primary endpoints included wound size, infection, amputation, and mortality. Collectively, the adjunctive use of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber to standard wound care shows superior healing rates and a decrease in major amputation rates in chronic wounds compared to standard wound care alone. Future research is needed to determine the adverse effects and increase the sample size.
Recommended Citation
Smith JD. The Role of Conjunctive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Decreasing Amputations in those with Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Clinical Review. The PA Department Journal of Medical Science. 2025. https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/pa-department-journal-of-medical-science/34
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