title: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in free flap surgery: is it meaningful?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a recognised modality of treatment with applications in plastic surgery. This modality of treatment works by providing higher oxygen delivery to tissues. The benefits of this modality of treatment in free flap surgery were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised prospective study was done. Ten patients undergoing free tissue transfer by microvascular technique were studied. These patients were randomised into two groups. In Group 1 the patients were subjected to hyperbaric oxygen therapy postoperatively for seven days. Group 2 served as the control group. Patients in this group were not subjected to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Patients were evaluated up to 14 days postoperatively. The flaps were evaluated for any flap loss, presence of venous congestion in the flap, flap oedema, and completeness of healing at the flap site.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was found in terms of flap survival, time to resolution of venous congestion, resolution of oedema, and period of postoperative recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy does not result in better survival of free flaps.
authors.affiliation: Senior Advisor (Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery), INHS Asvini, Mumbai.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vishwanath
keywords: free flap; hyperbaric oxygen therapy