“My Doctor says I look ’so much better!’ I have much more energy and I’m back to work! My healing was so much better because of the oxygen, and I was in less pain during treatment. I’m so relieved I went to Hyperbaric Recovery, as I likely avoided costly, insurance consuming surgeries.”
Pam V.

Compromised Skin Grafts and Flaps

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), is not necessary for normal, uncompromised skin grafts or flaps.  HBOT is an adjunct treatment of tissue endangered by irradiation, decreased perfusion, or hypoxia.

Skin grafts immediately become ischemic or hypoxic on harvest.  The recipient bed must be healthy enough to accept and nourish a graft.  The goal is to identify wounds that have failed usual therapy, and flap coverage that can respond locally to HBOT.

Indications for adjunctive HBOT for flaps and grafts include preparing a granulating base in selected patients with compromised wounds (diabetic ulcer, venous stasis ulcer, arterial insufficiency ulcer) or flaps, and patients at high risk due to previous failures.

Compromised Skin Grafts and the Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Oxygen availability is critical to skin grafting success.  HBOT increases tissue oxygen levels in hypoxic and ischemic wounds.  HBOT stimulates formation of blood vessels and granulation tissue, and prepares the recipient bed for grafts or flaps.

In some cases, HBOT will be enough to make skin grafting unnecessary or reduce regrafting and repeat flap procedures.

Keywords: Infection, Skin Grafts, Flaps, treatment

The information provided by Advanced Hyperbaric Recovery of Marin does not constitute a medical recommendation.
It is intended for informational purposes only, and no claims, either real or implied, are being made.