CHT Wound Care & Hyperbaric Indications Flashcards

Crush injuries benefit from HBOT primarily because:

Answer: HBOT reduces tissue edema, preserves hypoxic tissue viability, and limits reperfusion injury

HBOT reduces edema through vasoconstriction while maintaining tissue oxygenation, limits reperfusion injury, and preserves marginally viable tissue in crush injuries.

Gas gangrene (clostridial myonecrosis) benefits from HBOT because:

Answer: Hyperoxia is directly bacteriostatic/bactericidal to anaerobic Clostridium and inhibits alpha-toxin production

High tissue oxygen tensions are toxic to obligate anaerobes like Clostridium perfringens and inhibit alpha-toxin production, making HBOT a valuable adjunct to surgery and antibiotics.

For refractory osteomyelitis, HBOT is best used as an adjunct to:

Answer: Surgical debridement and culture-directed antibiotic therapy

HBOT is adjunctive to surgical debridement and appropriate antibiotics for refractory osteomyelitis, enhancing leukocyte oxidative killing and antibiotic efficacy in hypoxic bone.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss treated with HBOT should ideally begin within:

Answer: 2 weeks of symptom onset

HBOT for sudden sensorineural hearing loss is most effective when initiated within 2 weeks of onset, though treatment may still be considered up to 3 months after onset.

Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) are treated with HBOT as an adjunct to:

Answer: Emergent surgical debridement and broad-spectrum antibiotics

HBOT is strictly adjunctive in NSTI — emergent surgical debridement and broad-spectrum antibiotics are the primary and life-saving treatments; HBOT supports recovery.

A Wagner Grade IV diabetic foot wound is best described as:

Answer: Partial foot gangrene (forefoot or heel)

Wagner Grade IV describes partial foot gangrene (forefoot or heel), while Grade III involves deep ulcer with bone/joint infection and Grade V is whole foot gangrene.