Treatment of ulcers with ineffective pure oxygen

Sores when treated with pure oxygen are not faster to heal but can also be harmful to patients, according to Reuters.

A team of scientists at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) studied 6,259 diabetics to treat severe foot ulcers.

Foot ulcers are common in diabetics - (Photo: Shutterstock)

These subjects treat ulcers at ulcer treatment centers in the US from November 2005 to May 2011.

Of these, 793 patients were treated mainly with pure oxygen for 45 minutes to 2 hours in the pressure room, from 1 to 2 times a day, 4 to 5 times a week. The cost of each treatment is from 300 to 600 USD.

After 16 weeks, the ulcers of 43% of those treated with oxygen were completely healed, compared with a healthy 50% in patients who were not treated with oxygen.

7% of patients treated with oxygen had to be amputated afterwards, compared with 2% with amputation in patients who were not treated with oxygen.

'We are surprised at this finding because previous studies have suggested that pure oxygen can promote tissue growth and make the wound heal faster,' said Dr. Stephen Thom, a member of the research team. assist.

The study was published in the journal Diabetes Care.