Hyperbaric Oxygen for Perianal Crohn’s Disease
J Clin Gastroenterol. 1994 Oct; 19 (3): 202-5
Lavy A, Weisz G, Adir Y, Ramon Y, Melamed Y, Eidelman S.
Department of Gastroenterology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Perianal involvement in Crohn’s disease is common (< or = 50%), distressing, and frequently refractory to treatment. Clinical features include painful induration and stenosis, discharging fistulas, and fissures. The pathogenesis of these lesions is unclear, but local ischemia and secondary anaerobic infection may play a role. Following three sporadic reports of successful treatment with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO), we undertook a trial of this method in 10 patients with refractory perianal disease. These patients’ perianal Crohn’s disease had not responded to treatment that included local medications,
salicylates, corticosteroids, metronidazole, or 6-mercaptopurine were treated. Treatment was administered in a hyperbaric chamber at a pressure of 2.5 atm absolute. Each session lasted 90 min, and each course consisted of 20 daily sessions. Complete healing occurred in 5 patients after one to two courses. In an additional 2, after three courses, 1 patient improved but did not heal, and 2 did not improve. No adverse effects were noted by any of the 10 patients. Follow-up of 18 months did not reveal any recurrence. These preliminary results confirm that HBO therapy is a safe and efficient therapeutic option for perianal Crohn’s disease.
Healing of Severe Perineal and Cutaneous Crohn’s Disease with Hyperbaric Oxygen
Gastroenterology, 1989 Sep; 97(3): 756-60
Brady CE, Cooley BJ, Davis JC
Division of Gastroenterology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio.
Recurrent perineal Crohn’s disease can be an extremely debilitating complication that may
be difficult to treat. We report a patient with progressively worsening perineal and biopsy-proven cutaneous Crohn’s disease that had been refractory to surgery and medical treatment (sulfasalazine, steroids, 6-mercaptopurine, metronidazole, antibiotics). As the lesions were reminiscent of problem wounds occurring in other situations, hyperbaric oxygen treatment was instituted while the patient was continued on metronidazole. Response was dramatic with almost immediate relief of symptoms and regression within 2.5 mo of wounds that had previously defied therapy for 8 yr. Clinical remission has not been sustained as four subsequent courses of hyperbaric oxygen have been given over a period of 11 mo. However, the patient has been essentially asymptomatic since her initial
course and the extent of her cutaneous disease has been minimal compared with that before hyperbaric oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is costly and should not be routinely used in every patient with perineal Crohn’s disease. However, this case report may herald an advance in the understanding of the pathogenesis of this complication and ultimately, its therapy.
