Arch Plast Surg.  2020 Sep;47(5):444-450. 10.5999/aps.2020.00381.

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen on graft survival outcomes in composite grafting for amputated fingertip injury

• Lee Y
• Heo JW
• Moon JS
• Kim SW
• Kim J

• KMID: 2506696
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5999/aps.2020.00381

Abstract

Background
Fingertip injuries are the most common type of traumatic injury treated at emergency departments and require prompt and adequate interventions for favorable wound survival outcomes. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) therapy is well known for its many positive effects on wound healing. We hypothesized that treatment with HBO₂ would improve the graft survival outcomes of amputated fingertip injuries treated with composite grafts.
Methods
This retrospective observational study included fingertip amputations that were treated between January 2013 and December 2017. A conventional group and an HBO₂ therapy group were statistically compared to evaluate the effect of HBO₂ treatment. Graft survival was categorized as either success or failure.
Results
Among 55 cases (digits), 34 digits were conventionally treated, while 21 digits were treated with HBO₂. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups with regard to general characteristics. Among patients with guillotine-type injuries, the composite graft success rate was statistically significantly higher in the group that received HBO₂ therapy than in the conventional group (P=0.0337). Overall, the HBO₂ group also demonstrated a statistically significantly shorter healing time than the conventional group (P=0.0075). As such, HBO₂ treatment facilitates composite graft survival in cases of fingertip injury.
Conclusions
HBO₂ treatment was associated with an increased composite graft survival rate in guillotine-type fingertip injuries and reduced the time required for grafts to heal.

Keyword

Composite tissue allografts; Amputation; Hyperbaric oxygen therapy