title: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of postoperative paralytic ileus and adhesive intestinal obstruction associated with abdominal surgery: experience with 626 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The results of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy for treatment of postoperative paralytic ileus and adhesive intestinal obstruction associated with abdominal surgery are unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of postoperative paralytic ileus and adhesive intestinal obstruction associated with abdominal surgery in 626 patients required 758 admissions who underwent HBO therapy was undertaken to examine the efficacy of HBO therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall resolution rates for patients receiving HBO therapy in cases of postoperative paralytic ileus and adhesive intestinal obstruction were 92% and 85%, respectively. Among patients who were more than 75 years old, the therapies resolved 35 (97%) of 36 cases of postoperative paralytic ileus and 42 (81%) of 52 cases of adhesive intestinal obstruction, which was comparable to the results for patients less than 75 years old. The mortality rate was 1.2% overall. Complications related to HBO therapy occurred in 3.8% of the admissions, and most of them were not serious.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that HBO therapy might deserve further assessment for use in management of postoperative paralytic ileus and adhesive intestinal obstruction as a new modality. HBO therapy is safe and non-invasive, and may be useful in the elderly patients, since mortality was relatively low in this series.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Center, Chiba University Hospital, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8677, Japan. ambiru-s@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambiru
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Furuyama
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aono
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshidome
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Takenori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochiai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000628:therapy*; D007418:Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000267:Tissue Adhesions