Hyperbaric oxygen therapy accelerates vascularization in keratinized oral mucosal surgical flaps

• Published in: Head & neck Vol. 36; no. 9; pp. 1241 - 1247
• Main Authors: Helmers, Renée, Milstein, Dan M.J., van Hulst, Robert A., de Lange, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2014; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: angiogenesis; Animals; capillary density; hyperbaric oxygen therapy; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Male; microcirculation; Microcirculation - physiology; Mouth Mucosa - blood supply; Mouth Mucosa - surgery; Neovascularization, Physiologic; oral mucosa; Rabbits; sidestream dark-field imaging; Surgical Flaps - blood supply; Time Factors; Wound Healing; capillary density; wound healing; sidestream dark-field imaging; oral mucosa; angiogenesis; hyperbaric oxygen therapy; microcirculation
• ISSN: 1043-3074; 1097-0347
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.23437

Background Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is thought to promote vascular regeneration in wounds. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of HBOT in advancing vascular regeneration in healing oral mucosal surgical flaps. Methods A palatine partial‐thickness mucosal flap was raised in 10 male‐specific pathogen‐free New Zealand White rabbits. Randomized into 2 groups of 5 animals each (control and HBOT), functional capillary density was measured preoperatively (baseline), and immediately postoperatively until day 21 using sidestream dark‐field video microscopy. Ten HBOT sessions were administered over the course of 2 weeks at 2.5 atmospheres (2.5 bar O2/90 minutes). Results Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the HBOT and control group on the sequential functional capillary density measurements. A significant interaction effect was present between time and group (F [8, 64] = 9.60; p < .0001) resulting from a significant increase in microcirculation in the HBOT group relative to the control group on days 7, 9, and 11. Conclusion Our results suggest that HBOT is capable of advancing wound vascular regeneration in healing keratinized oral mucosal flaps. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 1241–1247, 2014