Acute Thermal Burn Injury

Burn injuries have low oxygen levels and can take a long time to heal. Use of hyperbaric oxygen in patients with burn wounds has been shown to:

  • Improve healing
  • Reduce oedema (swelling)
  • Prevent extension of the burn
  • Reduce hospital stay
  • Reduce need for surgery
  • Reduce wound infection

HBO is considered for patients with complex or serious burns therefore each case is assessed on a case by case basis.

Cases that are accepted are often serious but survivable:

  • Greater than 20% total body surface area and/or with involvement of the hands, face, feet or perineum.
  • Deep partial or full thickness injury.

Further information regarding the Referral and Funding process can be found here.

 

References

Mathieu D, Marroni A, Kot J. Tenth European Consensus Conference on Hyperbaric Medicine: recommendations for accepted and non-accepted clinical indications and practice of hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Diving Hyperb Med. 2017 Mar;47(1):24-32. doi: 10.28920/dhm47.1.24-32. Erratum in: Diving Hyperb Med. 2017 Jun;47(2):131-132. doi: 10.28920/dhm47.2.131-132. PMID: 28357821; PMCID: PMC6147240.

Niezgoda JA, Cianci P, Folden BW, Ortega RL, Slade JB, Storrow AB. The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on a burn wound model in human volunteers. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1997 May;99(6):1620-5. PMID: 9145132.

Emergency
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