Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on an accelerated rate of mandibular distraction osteogenesis

SummaryBackgroundDistraction osteogenesis has become a standard therapy for lengthening of the human craniofacial skeleton. Because the technique is used predominately in a paediatric population, limiting the treatment protocol is beneficial.MethodsTwenty-four animals were divided into four groups with distraction rates of 1 mm and 2 mm/day with and without hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. Following a 5-day latency period, mandibular lengthening of 15 mm was performed with a uniaxial distractor along the body of the mandible. Consolidation period was 4 weeks in all groups. HBO therapy was administered to one of the 1 and 2 mm/day groups 1 day preoperatively, throughout the latency and distraction phases and 2 weeks into the consolidation period. Animals were euthanised after consolidation and the mandibles harvested for bone mineral densitometry evaluation.ResultsThe mean bone mineral density (BMD) (g/cm2) was 0.208 ± 0.04 in Group 1 (1 mm/day distraction, no HBO therapy), 0.228 ± 0.09 in Group 2 (1 mm/day distraction, + HBO therapy), 0.180 ± 0.1 in Group 3 (2 mm/day distraction, no HBO therapy), and 0.269 ± 0.05 in Group 4 (2 mm/day distraction, + HBO therapy). Using the Student's t-test for equality of means and the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), we found that the mean BMD was significantly higher in the groups that were administered HBO (Groups 2 and 4) than not (P = < 0.05). For the groups that had distraction of 1 mm/day and 2 mm/day, those that underwent HBO therapy had significantly higher BMD than those without HBO therapy (P = < 0.05).ConclusionWe have found that HBO therapy may serve to augment the healing process in distraction osteogenesis, allowing for more rapid distraction in order to decrease the overall treatment time.