ABSTRACT
Objective
To describe the most common types of wounds indicated for hyperbaric oxygen therapy and the results.
Method
Cross-sectional study at a Hyperbaric Centre in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The medical records of 200 patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen were reviewed from January to November 2013. The variables of the persons, clinical, indications, number of sessions and wound care were analysed by means of descriptive statistics and the chi-square test of association incorporating Yates’s correction with a level of 5%.
Results
The wounds that were most frequently indicated for hyperbaric oxygen therapy were venous ulcers, traumatic injury and diabetic foot. Patients with chronic wounds had fewer sessions (61.1%) and their wounds healed or were reduced (62.0%) compared to those with acute wounds.
Conclusion
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an effective treatment for patients with chronic wounds.
Wound healing; Hyperbaric oxygenation; Nursing care