Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Calcaneal Intraarticular Fractures: Can it Decrease the Soft-tissue Complication Rate?
Description:
Wound complication remains an important problem in calcaneal fractures, with some plate
series quoting up to a 27% infection rate. The original hypothesis stimulating this study is
that HBOT after calcaneal plating can decrease such high rates of infection. Validation of
this hypothesis would not only alter guidelines for standard procedure (plate
osteosynthesis), but would also help to avoid difficult follow-up operations and improve
functional outcome after calcaneal fracture. To date, this therapeutic approach has not been
systematically tested in the existing literature. As further motivation for this study, the
assessment of the existent microcirculation as a potential screening parameter will be
analysed. In order to do so, it is assumed that wound infection partially develops due to
disruptions in the microcirculation. This leads to the hypotheses, that by measuring the
microcirculation, patients at high risk for post operative infections could be identified
before operation, planning a different less invasive approach or conservative treatment.
Condition:
Microcirculation
Treatment:
HBOT
Start Date:
April 2011
Sponsor:
RWTH Aachen University
For More Information:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01264146