Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Advancing Wound Healing in Irradiated Oral Cancer Patients
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Abstract
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2T) is an adjunctive treatment for enhancing wound healing in patients with oral cancer who have undergone radiation therapy. Radiation-induced tissue injury (RTI) leads to compromised healing due to hypocellularity, hypovascularity, and hypoxia, predisposing patients to complications such as osteoradionecrosis (ORN). HBO2T improves tissue oxygenation by increasing plasma-dissolved oxygen under high atmospheric pressure, promoting angiogenesis, collagen synthesis, and immune function, while reducing inflammation. This article reviews the pathophysiology of RTI and ORN, the mechanisms of HBO2T in mitigating radiation injury, and clinical applications, emphasizing its therapeutic role and potential complications.
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