Enhanced Wound Healing Through Air-Break Augmentation of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Combined With Adipose-Derived Stromal Cell Transplantation in a Murine Model.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) enhances wound healing by promoting angiogenesis and reducing hypoxia. However, the role of air-breaks-intermittent exposures to ambient air during HBOT-remains unclear. We investigated the effects of air-breaks on HBOT-mediated wound healing, particularly in combination with adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs). Full-thickness wounds were created in C57BL/6 mice (n = 36) and assigned to control, HBOT (1 h/day, 2 ATA for 11 days), or HBOT with a 10-min air-break groups. In a second experiment, we evaluated ASC treatment combined with HBOT and air-breaks. Wound healing was assessed via gross examination, histology and gene expression analysis of collagen type 1 alpha 1 (Col1a1), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (Hif1a) and tumour necrosis factor (Tnf-α). Compared with HBOT alone, air-breaks significantly improved wound closure, epithelial regeneration and collagen deposition (p < 0.05). Gene analysis showed higher Col1a1 expression and lower Hif1a and Tnf-α levels in the air-break group. In ASC-treated wounds, air-breaks further accelerated healing, enhancing collagen synthesis and reducing hypoxia and inflammation. These findings suggest that incorporating air-breaks into HBOT protocols improves wound healing outcomes, both generally and in ASC-based therapies, by modulating collagen production, hypoxia and inflammation, and could optimise HBOT

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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