Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) often halts ongoing radiation damage to breast tissues, bones, and skin[1] . It is increasingly used as an adjunct to skin grafting in women treated for necrosis of the chest wall after a mastectomy. Additionally, it stimulates angiogenesis in hypoxic tissues, correcting the ischemia which also improves flap and graft salvage[2].
Often the wounds that cause pain, tightness, tenderness and burning after breast cancer radiation treatments resolve on their own in a few months. Those that do not resolve are often responsive to hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
Over the last 20 years, we have observed HBOT helping patients with a variety of non-healing wounds on the breast, ribs and chest wall. We have seen resolved infections, resolved pain and skin returned to its’ normal color. We have also seen shoulder and elbow pain reduced or eliminated by resolving lyphedema and salvaged flaps.
Several studies highlight benefits of HBOT in healing radiation damage to the mouth, head and neck. Here is a subset:
Feldmeier et al Retrospective
Feldmeier et al Retrospective
Matos et al Retrospective
Teguh et al Prospective
Teguh et al Prospective
Since 1979, 23 cases of radiation-induced chest wall necrosis have been treated in the Hyperbaric Medicine Departments of Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital and the Nix Hospital, San Antonio, Texas. Eight cases involved soft tissue only.
Hyperbaric, Delayed Radiation Injury
There will be 1.2 million cases of invasive cancer diagnosed in the United States this year. Half of those patients will receive radiation therapy as part of their treatment program. Serious radiation complications will occur in 5% of patients receiving radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy is performed as an adjuvant therapy when indicated following surgical resection of malignant tumors. However, radiation exposure induces acute or chronic dermatitis, depending on the radiation dose, interval, tissue volume, or irradiated area of the body.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for the Compromised Graft or Flap
Tissue grafts and flaps are used to reconstruct wounds from trauma, chronic disease, tumor extirpation, burns, and infection. Despite careful surgical planning and execution, reconstructive failure can occur due to poor wound beds, radiation, random flap necrosis, vascular insufficiency, or ischemia–reperfusion (IR).
Hyperbaric Oxygen following Bilateral Skin-sparing Mastectomies: A Case Report
We describe a patient in whom bilateral skin flap ischemia developed after nipple-sparing mastectomies. Tissue expander reconstruction was successfully salvaged with HbO therapy. Clinicians should consider the potential benefits and risks of early postoperative HBOT
Fifty-seven women were available for evaluation before and after treatment. Before HBOT, patients had severe complaints of pain in the arm/shoulder (46 %), swollen arm/hand (14 %), difficulty to raise arm or move it sideways (45 %)
Lorraine was about to lose several teeth, because the bones in her jaw were weakened by radiation from cancer treatments.
HBOT strengthened her bones and healed open sores in her mouth that her oral surgeon told her would otherwise not heal. At Bay Area Hyperbarics, we have treated patients for 20 years with radiation damage from treating oral cancers. HBOT has help them return to normal lives. Our patients tell us it also seems to heal their fatigue from “chemo brain” and radiation so they get their energy back. We can help you or your loved one too.
Fiona, a lively and proud mother of five grown children and an avid gardener, had received radiation many years earlier, which had damaged her bone.
It caused a severe infection in the bones in the roof of her mouth. In addition, Fiona was concerned about her low energy levels. She had tried everything, including antibiotics. When she received HBOT along with antibiotics, it cured the bone infection in her mouth. It healed and regrew her bones and gums. Fiona also said that her energy levels had also returned sufficiently that she could again garden, which she said was fundamental to her sense of well-being
Howard had very painful open sores in his mouth resulting from his cancer treatment. He had already lost a few teeth.
What worried his son is that he had lost too much weight. HBOT stabilized two loose teeth and healed his mouth sores, allowing him to return to a healthy weight.
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