Folia Medica · Published 2026-02-25 · DOI 10.3897/folmed.68.e166916
Introduction: Ulcers caused by a diabetic foot are among the most common and serious complications of diabetes mellitus and lead to severe medical and social consequences for individuals and society. Their treatment should be complex and individualized, given the complex etiology and pathogenesis of this type of lesion. One of the established complementary methods in therapy is the application of oxygen by inhalation under high pressure (above atmospheric) or the so-called hyperbaric oxygenation. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the treatment of diabetic ulcers. Materials and methods: This pilot study was conducted from October 2024 to January 2025. The study group comprised 15 patients (10 males and 5 females) diagnosed with diabetic foot ulcers. All participants underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a complementary treatment. Blood sugar levels, wound area, Wagner score, and pain level were followed up before and after therapy. Results and discussion: Regarding blood sugar levels, no definitive evidence was found to confirm or rule out the influence of hyperbaric oxygenation. A statistically significant difference was observed in the mean wound area values before therapy (20.46±16.12 cm2) and after 10 HBO sessions (11.38±10.58 cm2) (p=0.019). The mean Wagner score prior to therapy was 2.92, and after the 10th session it was 2.00, p=0.014. The difference in pain perception before and after hyperbaric oxygenation therapy was statistically significant (p<0.0001) with an effect size r=−0.99. Conclusions: Hyperbaric oxygen has a positive effect as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Due to the small sample size and number of sessions, more in-depth and large-scale clinical studies are needed to confirm the results.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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