Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Jim Keenan wasn't particularly alarmed by a small blister that developed on his heel. Five days later, the 62-year-old's foot was so seriously infected doctors feared they might need to amputate his lower leg.
Keenan, who also has Type 2 diabetes, instead tried the emerging treatment called hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Best known as an antidote for underwater diving disorders, HBOT involves inhaling pure oxygen while reclining in a pressurized chamber.
The intense flood of oxygen to the blood can stimulate cell growth, promote the formation of new blood vessels and fight certain infections, said Dr. Alan Davis, who directs the Center for Wound Care and HBOT at Northwest Hospital outside Baltimore.
Swedish researchers have shown HBOT can help foot ulcers heal in certain patients with diabetes, according to a 2010 study published in the journal Diabetes Care. A review of other trials also found that HBOT seemed to reduce the number of amputations in people with diabetes who have chronic foot ulcers, according to a Cochrane Review of the literature.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-0425-diabetes-foot-issues-20120425,0,7113545.story
Keenan, who also has Type 2 diabetes, instead tried the emerging treatment called hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Best known as an antidote for underwater diving disorders, HBOT involves inhaling pure oxygen while reclining in a pressurized chamber.
The intense flood of oxygen to the blood can stimulate cell growth, promote the formation of new blood vessels and fight certain infections, said Dr. Alan Davis, who directs the Center for Wound Care and HBOT at Northwest Hospital outside Baltimore.
Swedish researchers have shown HBOT can help foot ulcers heal in certain patients with diabetes, according to a 2010 study published in the journal Diabetes Care. A review of other trials also found that HBOT seemed to reduce the number of amputations in people with diabetes who have chronic foot ulcers, according to a Cochrane Review of the literature.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-0425-diabetes-foot-issues-20120425,0,7113545.story
