Abstract
Background: A diabetic foot ulcer is a challenging complication of diabetes that
has become a global health problem. The treatment process is troublesome for the
patient and healthcare team, especially in advanced cases. Hyperbaric Oxygen
therapy (HBOT) in combination with standard methods of diabetic foot ulcers
management appears to be more effective than standard methods alone. Aim: To
compare the effect of adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus routine wound
on diabetic foot ulcer healing. Subjects and Method: Design: A prospective non-
experimental comparative study. Setting: at the medical, surgical and vascular
surgery departments, outpatient clinics and hyperbaric oxygen therapy unit at
Nasser Institute for Research and Treatment Cairo-Egypt. Subjects: sixty adult
male and female patients with diabetic foot ulcer divided into two groups 30
patients in each of (the HBOT with standard wound management and standard
wound management alone group) who met the inclusion criteria. Tools: I:
Patient's assessment data include: demographic and clinical background
information form, II: Wagner classification system, III: Numeric Pain scale and
IV: MUNGS tool. Results: There was statistically significant difference between
the two groups regarding Wagner score at the end of two and three months (T=
2.193, P=0.032) (T= 2.163, P=0.035) respectively. There was significant
difference regarding pain severity at the end of three months (T= 2.538, P=0.014).
There was statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding
MUNGS score at the end of three months follow-up (T= 2.298, P=0.025).
Conclusion: HBOT in combination with standard methods of diabetic foot ulcers
management appears to be more effective than standard methods alone