Page 54 - Effects of radiotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy on oral microcirculation Renee Helmers

Chapter 3
ABSTRACT
Background: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is thought to promote vascular regeneration in wounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of HBOT in advancing vascular regeneration in healing oral mucosal surgical flaps.
Materials and methods: A palatine partial-thickness mucosal flap was raised in 10 male specific-pathogen free New Zealand White rabbits. Randomized into two groups of 5 animals each (control and HBOT), functional capillary density was measured preoperatively (baseline), immediately postoperatively until day 21 using sidestream dark-field video microscopy. Ten HBOT sessions were administered over the course of 2 weeks at 2.5 atmospheres (2.5 bar O2/90 min).
Results: Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the HBOT and control group on the sequential functional capillary density measurements. A significant interaction effect was present between time and group, F (8, 64) = 9.60, p < 0.0001, resulting from a significant increase in microcirculation in the HBOT group relative to the control group on days 7, 9, and 11.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that HBOT is capable of advancing wound vascular regeneration in healing keratinized oral mucosal flaps.
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