American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Practice Exam 2026 - Free ABFM Practice Questions and Study Guide

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves exposing patients to an environment with increased atmospheric pressure and delivering 100% oxygen. This treatment has been shown to benefit specific medical conditions due to its effects on enhancing oxygen delivery to tissues, promoting wound healing, and fighting infections.

Crush injury wounds are characterized by significant tissue injury and the potential for poor circulation and oxygenation in the affected areas. HBOT can help in these cases by increasing the amount of oxygen in the tissue, which promotes angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), enhances fibroblast activity (important for healing), and aids in the clearance of edema (swelling). As a result, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been established as a beneficial intervention for treating crush injuries, facilitating recovery and preventing complications.

Other listed conditions may not have well-documented benefits associated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. For example, while there are hypotheses about the benefits of HBOT in tinnitus and benign conditions like nonunion of bone fractures, the evidence supporting such treatments is less robust than the established benefits for crush injuries. Malignant otitis externa is primarily treated with systemic antibiotics and does not have a supportive role for HBOT. Thus, the application of HBOT in crush injury