Hyperbaric Wound Care Helps Heart Attack Survivor Spend Holidays with Family

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may have saved this man's life in more ways than one. Having survived a heart attack, Roger Wilkins needed open-heart surgery. But during the attack he also sustained a wound that required speedy healing before he could safely undergo surgery. Dr Tram Hill and the team at TMC Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine in Sherman, Texas, got the job done, the surgery was a success, and Wilkins was able to spend Christmas and New Year's with his family. Read the story and watch the video at KCII.com, the CBS affiliate serving Ada, Ardmore, Durant, Denison, Sherman, and Gainesville, Texas.

Most advanced care wound centers use hyperbaric oxygen to accelerate healing in chronic wounds. Wilkins's wound didn't fit the description of "skin ulcers or sores that do not heal without special treatment," but it surely required swift action and excellent results. And it could be that hyperbaric oxygen provided other important benefits in this special case. From our acute coronary syndrome (ACS) page:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may reduce the risk of dying, the time to pain relief, and the chance of future heart attacks in people with acute coronary syndrome. HBOT increases the supply of oxygen to the heart and may decrease the area of damage and death in the heart muscle. More research is needed to confirm the efficacy of HBOT in conjunction with standard regimens and to identify the types of patients who may benefit the most. 

Acute coronary syndrome includes heart attack, or myocardial infarction. Compelling evidence for hyperbaric oxygen received wider attention with the publication of a Cochrane Review article in August 2011. See our ACS page for more information, commentary, and links to helpful resources.

[Photo: KXII CBS video capture]

New on HyperbaricLink: Acute Coronary Syndrome

Today we have added acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to our Diseases and Conditions section. ACS is a blockage of the small blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen. It includes heart attack, called myocardial infarction, and chest pain or discomfort, called angina.

Our new page was created upon the publication of an updated meta-analysis [Cochrane Review, 2011] of 6 randomized controlled trials with 665 participants, in which the authors conclude:

Overall, we found some evidence that people with ACS are less likely to die or to have major adverse cardiac events, and to have more rapid relief from their pain, if they receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy as part of their treatment.

Falling quite short of a recommendation for the routine use of HBOT, this is still strong language and strong data to support further study and evidence-based practice. From our commentary:

The hyperbaric community sits up and takes notice when the Cochrane Collaboration, with its sterling reputation and rigorous literature review methodologies, reports such a compelling body of evidence. ACS is lacking the all-important pivotal clinical trial for FDA clearance. But soon the healthcare community may add acute coronary syndrome to the growing list of great reasons to demand 24/7 access to hyperbaric medicine.

Our new Acute Coronary Syndrome page also links visitors to select clinical and patient resources, including the groundbreaking and fascinating Framingham Heart Study and the American Heart Association's excellent HeartHub patient portal.

[Image: Resin cast of heart showing coronary arteries, Visuals Unlimited/Corbis]