Hyperbaric oxygen and wound healing in post-irradiation head and neck surgery

Irradiation impairs wound healing owing to reduced vascularity with an increased susceptibility to infection. The case histories of 4 patients with carcinoma of the larynx who have had irradiation and subsequent laryngectomies followed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy are described. It is the authors' clinical impression that skin healing in these patients has been improved by hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The skin changes following ionizing radiation, the rationale of hyperbaric oxygen, and its method of use are described.