title: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cesarean section wound in diabetes mellitus gravida.
abstract: We report the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy to treat the complication of necrotizing fasciitis following Cesarean section in a postpartum gravida with diabetes mellitus. Our patient was a 25-year-old, gravida 1, para 1, woman with a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus since the age of 18. The patient experienced preterm labor at 31+1 gestational weeks and was treated with magnesium sulfate for tocolytic therapy. The patient then went into labor at 39+6 gestational weeks. She received Cesarean section due to prolonged labor associated with non-reassuring fetal status of both smooth baseline and fetal tachycardia. An ultrasound scan of the lower abdomen on the 4th postoperative day revealed fluid collection measuring 4 mm over the rectus fascia and edematous change of the surrounding soft tissues under the Cesarean section incision site. The patient eventually received HBO for a total of 7 days. Following HBO, the condition of the surgical wound improved dramatically. The results of this case showed that HBO has the potential to be a cost-effective way to enhance the healing of necrotizing fasciitis in diabetes mellitus gravida.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. jhhung@tzuchi.com.tw
authors.forename: Jeng-Hsiu
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Jia-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chih-Yao
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kuan-Chong
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Ming-Jie
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications*; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics