The evaluation of 0-14 age group patients WHO received hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Objective: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is either the main therapy method or an adjunctive therapy that significantly reduces permanent sequelae and mortality in many ischemic, infective, inflammatory, or traumatic diseases. Data on HBOT applications in the pediatric population is less than expected in the literature. The primary aims of the study are to reveal the characteristics of pediatric patients who had undergone HBOT in Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, and to determine the diagnoses for which HBOT was applied to this age group. Other purposes of the study are to evaluate the treatment results and to determine the complications associated with HBOT. Patients and Methods: Charts of patients who were at age between 0-14 and underwent HBOT from 1990 to 2020 in the Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine Department, Istanbul Medical Faculty, were evaluated retrospectively. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were examined. In addition, patients were evaluated in terms with respect to their treatment response and the side effects they experienced. Results: A total of 299 children under the age of 14 had taken 5110 HBOT sessions with 11 main indications. The median age was 7 (2 days-14 years). The evaluation of treatment results showed that 87.2% of the cases had been cured. And 4.5% of pediatrics patients had experienced HBOT-related complications. Central nervous system oxygen toxicity was occurred once in 5110 therapy sessions. Conclusion: The study revealed that HBOT had been applied safely and successfully on pediatric patients. Presenting this 30-year experience will be beneficial in the evaluation of pediatric patient in terms of HBOT indications and the management of treatment.