Abstract:
The pediatric patient is to be found in hyperbaric facilities throughout the world, receiving hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy for both life-threatening and chronic diseases. To review the experience accumulated at the Israel Naval Medical Institute in the treatment of pediatric patients. A retrospective analysis and review of all records of patients younger than age 18 years. Between 1980 and 1997, 139 pediatric patients age 2 months to 18 years (mean, 7.7 years) received HBO treatment at the Israel Naval Medical Institute. Of the children, 111 (79%) suffered from acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning; 13 (9.2%) were treated after crush injury, traumatic ischemia, or compartment syndrome; 4 (2.8%) had clostridial myonecrosis; 1 (0.7%) had necrotizing fasciitis; 5 (3.6%) had refractory osteomyelitis; 2 (1.4%) had suffered massive air embolism; 2 (1.4%) had purpura fulminans; and 1 (0.7%) suffered from decompression sickness. Outcome, judged by neurologic sequelae, mortality, and extent of soft tissue loss and limb amputation, was favorable in 129 patients (93%). Two patients (1.4%) died, 1 as a result of CO poisoning and the other, gas gangrene; 2 of the patients in the CO group (1.4%) remained with neurologic sequelae, and 6 patients in the acute traumatic ischemia group (4.3%) underwent limb amputation.
Waisman, Shupak, Weisz, Melamed, , , , , (1998). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the pediatric patient: the experience of the Israel Naval Medical Institute. Pediatrics, 1998 Nov;102(5):E53. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9794983