Hyperbaric oxygen treatment of healthy volunteers with u.v.-irradiated blister wounds

• Published in: Burns Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 296 - 301
• Main Authors: Hammarlund, C., Svedman, C., Svedman, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.1991; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blister - etiology; Blister - physiopathology; Blister - therapy; Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; Burns - therapy; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Intensive care medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Microcirculation; Skin - blood supply; Ultraviolet Rays; Burn; Human; Skin disease; Treatment; Biological model; Biological effect; Hyperbaric oxygenotherapy; Trauma; Resuscitation
• ISSN: 0305-4179; 1879-1409
• DOI: 10.1016/0305-4179(91)90043-G

Healthy male volunteers were wounded by skin blistering, excision of the blister roof and u.v.-irradiation of the dermal wound bed. The lesions, painlessly inflicted on one forearm, were occluded, and no systemic therapy was given (n = 7). Ten days later the procedure was repeated contralaterally, and this time hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy was given (1 h at 283 kPa in a ‘multi-place’ chamber) beginning 1.5 h, 10.5 h and 21.5 h after injury. The maximum ‘length’ of the lesions — including the surrounding oedema zone — differed throughout the experiment when comparisons were made on a daily basis ( P < 0.005 on day 1). The values were lower after HBO treatment, the difference being maximal on day 1 when it was 41 per cent. The hyperaemia at the periphery of the lesions, assessed with a mechanical laser Doppler linear scanner, was less in the HBO-treated group on days 3, 4, and 5 ( P < 0.05 on day 3). Centrally within the wound the mean Doppler values were lower after HBO-treatment for the duration of the experiment, but the differences were not significant for comparisons made on a daily basis. The exudation rates decreased after HBO treatment ( P < 0.05 on days 2–6). The end-points of epithelialization (5.1 days (HBO group) vs. 5.7 days) did not differ significantly. Thus, HBO had beneficial effects on this superficial dermal lesion. Oedema and exudation decreased, as did the peripheral hyperaemia, but the rate of epithelialization was not accelerated.