[Hyperbaric oxygenation in burns]

Abstract

Standardised third degree burn injuries were produced in guinea pigs and a standardized pseudomonas aeruginosa infection model was used. Therapy with oxygen under high pressure (OHP) was initiated for not experimentally infected burn wounds and for wounds contaminated with a constant number of bacteria from a certain pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. The healing process was documented by wound area determination, histological examination, and bacteriological evaluation. Not treated uninfected wounds showed better results than the ones that were treated with OHP. Infected burn wounds also healed better when they were not treated than the wounds in which OHP therapy was initiated with some delay. The immediate and consistent application of OHP therapy led to a significantly improved healing of burn wounds infected with pseudomonas aeruginosa.