Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an important advanced therapy in the treatment of problem wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers and late effect radiation injury. HBOT remains among the safest therapies used today. Nonetheless, there are side effects associated with HBOT. It is important for providers to be able to identify, understand, and quantify these side effects for prevention, management, and informed consent. The past two decades have seen significant advancements in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of HBOT. This has led to a better understanding of the underlying reason for clinical benefit. It has also led to a better understanding of its side effects. Moreover, more recent literature allows for better quantification of these side effects. This review will highlight these side effects. Wound healing in the case of problem nonhealing wounds requires the use of various advanced treatment modalities, including HBOT. HBOT has been shown to significantly improve healing rates in certain problem wounds, including advanced diabetic foot ulcers and late effect radiation injury. It is provided in a variety of clinical settings by providers with varying levels of expertise. It is important for those providing this therapy to understand the potential side effects. Research in HBOT has led to significant advancements in the area of wound healing. At the same time, there remains a variety of treatment protocols used at different institutions. It is important to quantify risk and benefit at different treatment pressures and times to better standardize treatment and improve patient care.

Calcific uremic arteriolopathy, also known as calciphylaxis, is a rare syndrome of small vessel calcification of unknown etiology causing painful, violaceous skin lesions that progress to form chronic non-healing ulcers and gangrene. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be used as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of these ulcers. However, due to paucity of cases, there is limited data on the clinical benefit of HBOT and identifying factors associated with healing. The purpose of this study was to determine patient outcomes and factors associated with healing in patients with calciphylaxis undergoing HBOT. A retrospective chart review was completed on patients who were diagnosed with calciphylaxis and had hyperbaric medicine consultation between May 2012 and January 2016. Clinical outcomes, demographics, risk factors, laboratory values, wound distribution, and HBOT profiles were collected and analyzed. We identified 8 patients. Out of 8 patients consulted for calciphylaxis, five were consented and underwent HBOT (2 males and 3 females). All had coexisting ESRD and Diabetes. All males were able to tolerate being in the chamber and received therapeutic treatments (at least 20 HBOT) with complete resolution of ulcers. HBOT was discontinued in one female due to an inconsistent biopsy report and two others due to death secondary to septic shock or respiratory arrest and severe uremia. Calciphylaxis is a devastating disease with a high mortality rate. Our results demonstrated a positive response to HBOT especially when receiving at least 20 treatments. A majority of calciphylaxis cases are females and indeed female gender has been cited as a risk factor for this disease. However, current literature has not conferred a relationship between gender nor the number of HBOT received and outcomes. Our results showed that males had a more favorable outcome provided they received at least twenty HBOT. Further prospective studies are needed to elucidate these outcomes.