부산대학교 도서관

Twenty-six patients with diabetic foot were selected from Tri-Service General Hospital between September 1999 and August 2000. Fourteen and twelve patients were assigned to treated and controlled groups, respectively. Patients in the controlled group were treated like the patients in the experimental group in every ways except they did not receive the hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) intervention. Blood biochemical examinations showed the patients in the treated group had significantly lower white blood cell counts after HBO2 treatment. The treated group had significantly higher transcutaneous oxygen tension and higher blood flow of foot than the controlled group after the 30th course of HBO2 treatment. HBO2 can promote the vascular function, avoid the pathologic change, and further prevent the damage, ulcer, and infection of diabetic foot. In addition, HBO2 can help the wound healing, prevent severe tissue necrosis, and avoid lower limb amputation.