[Medical Q&A] If my diabetic foot is rotten, can hyperbaric oxygen therapy save my foot?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Yu Qiuhong, Chief Physician, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy plays an important role in the treatment of diabetic foot, especially for cases where ulcers and infections have already occurred in the feet. Diabetic foot is a common complication of diabetes, usually due to long-term uncontrolled blood sugar, which leads to poor blood circulation in the feet, nerve damage and decreased immunity, which in turn causes ulcers, infections, and may even require amputation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help improve these problems through various mechanisms, thereby helping to save diabetic foot.

First of all, hyperbaric oxygen can effectively improve blood circulation. The basement membrane of capillaries in diabetic patients is thickened, glycosylated hemoglobin increases, and fructose diphosphate decreases, leading to hypoxia of body tissues. The blood flow in the feet is restricted, making it difficult for oxygen and nutrients to reach the damaged area. During hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the dissolved oxygen in the high-pressure environment increases significantly, the diffusion capacity is enhanced, and collateral blood vessels are formed, which promotes blood circulation and microvascular repair, thereby improving the blood oxygen supply to the feet.

Secondly, hyperbaric oxygen can promote wound healing. In the treatment of diabetic foot, wound healing is often slow and even faces the risk of chronic infection, especially for deeply ulcerated or infected wounds. Hyperbaric oxygen can provide more oxygen to damaged tissues, inhibit bacterial growth, reduce the spread of infection, help cell proliferation and repair, and shorten healing time.

In addition, hyperbaric oxygen also has the effect of enhancing immunity. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve the metabolism of sugar, fat, and amino acids, increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin, enhance the aerobic metabolism of glucose in cells, help lower blood sugar, generate energy, and delay the occurrence of complications.

Although hyperbaric oxygen therapy has the above effects, it is still very important for patients with diabetic foot ulcers to control blood sugar. At the same time, surgical dressing changes and other measures must be taken. If gangrene has already formed, surgery is still needed to consider whether to amputate a limb or toe. During hyperbaric oxygen therapy, it is also necessary to monitor blood sugar to avoid hypoglycemia.