title: [Hyperbaric oxygenation for necrotizing soft tissue infections: pro].
abstract: Necrotizing soft tissue infections are a complex pathological spectrum of symptoms and result in a significantly increased risk of mortality depending on the degree of dissemination as well as the underlying bacterial infection. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can significantly improve the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary treatment concept consisting of surgical debridement, critical care and antibiotic treatment. HBOT itself assists solid wound healing by bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects and by increasing the oxygen supply up to the cellular level resulting in an optimization of oxygen-dependent metabolic processes. The efficacy of treatment in a centre of cooperating specialized departments can therefore be increased by utilizing HBOT as adjunct treatment. Nevertheless, if a HBOT facility is available, excluding HBOT is equivalent to omission of an effective therapy  option to the disadvantage of patients.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Halle (Saale), Halle (Saale), Deutschland. michael.bucher@uk-halle.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmale
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fichtner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pohl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bucher
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003646:Debridement; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D018934:Fournier Gangrene / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005738:Gas Gangrene / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D009336:Necrosis; D010348:Patient Care Team; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents