The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Severe Frostbite Injury: Insights from a Retrospective Cohort at a High Volume Burn Center

This retrospective study examines the effectiveness of Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating severe frostbite injuries. From October 2013 to March 2020, the study analyzed 214 patients, including 62 treated with HBO₂ therapy. This study aims to describe the impact of HBO₂ therapy on improving tissue salvage and reducing amputation rates in severe frostbite-injured patients. The data suggested that patients undergoing HBO₂ therapy were more likely to receive thrombolytics and have larger areas of tissue impacted. They tended to be younger and had longer hospital stays. A significantly larger proportion of HBO₂ therapy-treated patients required surgical interventions, including amputation and debridement, compared to those not treated with HBO₂ therapy, reflecting the severity of their initial injury. Results indicate a complex relationship between HBO₂ therapy treatment and patient outcomes, suggesting that factors such as severity of injury, patient demographics, and thrombolytic therapy treatment significantly influence severe frostbite outcomes. This study contributes valuable insights to the limited literature on HBO₂ therapy in frostbite management and underscores the need for further controlled trials to ascertain its effectiveness conclusively.