HBO and acute gas gangrene

Gas gangrene is an acute, rapidly progressive infection caused by clostridium perfringens commonly after a trauma reaching muscles, a typical war situation. The diseases have a very high mortality provoking death within 1-2 days if untreated.

C. perfringens is an anaerobic  bacteria produces around 20 different toxins of which alpha and theta toxins are responsible for a fast occlusion of the muscle circulation provoking the rapid muscle destruction.

Alpha-toxin is very sensitive to oxygen, 70 mm Hg will stop its growth and 250 mm Hg will stop the production of alpha-toxin.

HBOT if available will give time to the surgeon to eliminate all dead tissues because it can reach a tissue oxygen partial pressure in still healthy tissue over 1’000 mm Hg within minutes. Furthermore HBOT stimulates body defenses and wound healing.