Case Studies - Health

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy has traditionally been used to treat divers recovering from the bends but its effectiveness in dealing with a range of conditions such as wound healing, tissue infections and burns is widely recognised. Indeed QinetiQ scientists have already successfully used HBO therapy to speed healing of damaged tissue in cancer patients recovering from radiotherapy.

We are now looking at the use of HBO therapy to help treat severe hypoxic diabetic foot ulceration. Foot lesions are the primary cause of admission to hospital for diabetes sufferers and can eventually lead to limb amputation. Indeed, around 50 per cent of all non-traumatic lower limb amputations are diabetes-related.

"There are specific groups of people who have real problems with long-term foot lesions who could benefit from HBO therapy," explains Sara Hasan, a QinetiQ scientist based at the Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport.

In a diabetic patient, the cells in the feet and around the extremities are in a poor condition with inherent poor circulation. This means that injuries may not heal well. During hyperbaric therapy, the patient breathes a higher percentage of oxygen due to increased ambient pressure. This saturates the tissue with oxygen and promotes tissue healing.

Although a fairly new treatment, HBO therapy has been successfully applied to diabetes-related wounds. In the USA, 'Medicare', the US's largest national insurance programme, has accepted the use of HBO in the treatment of severe hypoxic diabetic foot wounds.

The benefits in terms of improving quality of life and reducing costs to the NHS hardly need spelling out.

The impact of amputation on an individual's quality of life can be huge in terms of disability and lost earnings. For the NHS - there are massive cost implications, not just in the amputation itself but the limb prosthetics, hospitalisation, rehabilitation and consequent impact on waiting times.

HBO therapy could revolutionise diabetes-related wound treatment and we are discussing with a number of health authorities how to make the treatment available in the UK.