Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy After Lipo + Fat Transfer?

Question

Interesting Medscape info on HBO. It suggests improved fibroblast and collagen synthesis and angiogenesis. But just because a therapy helps in problem cases doesn't mean it helps in normal cases. Also, comparing real HOT to mild lower-pressure is iffy. I'm skeptical, but my surgeon says it helps patients recover (and he recommends an outside facility so isn't profiting); I'm inclined to try it, but wish I had more confidence in it.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has not been demonstrated to help in fat grafting survival.  However, it has been approved for a number of problematic wound healing issues.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

Hyperbaric oxygen in it's most classic administration has questionable benefits for even cases involving pathologic healing. It's benefits in a healthy person undergoing fat transfer are very suspect and, if I were you, would not waste money.

George Commons, MD (retired) · Answer

Save your hard earned money. There is not even one tiny shred of evidence that this use of hyperbaric oxygen contributes anything whatsoever to liposuction and fat transfer survival in human patients. Possibly some laboratory rat has been shown to have lived 20 seconds longer with a tad more fat, but not one human result. The recommendation of hyperbaric oxygen is used by some doctors as a slick marketing gimmick. It sounds good, I guess....but it does not benefit the patient. The other motivation for a doctor's recommendation of hyperbaric oxygen can be purely direct or indirect economics. The only winners are the company selling the oxygen and hyperbaric equipment, the doctor unfortunately, and of course the doctor's marketing staff. The big loser is the patient who wastes hard earned money and time traveling back and forth and paying for nonsense. Don't fall for this foolishness. Save your money. Go elsewhere to a different doctor who has your best interests in heart and mind. My Best, Dr C

Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy After Lipo + Fat Transfer?

Answers (3)