HTA Details
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
- Publication date
-
2017-May-12
- Status
- Final
- Topic Area
- Diabetes and Other Endocrinal, Nutritional and Metabolic
- Recommendation
-
Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee Recommendation:
- The Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in healing diabetic foot ulcers. Given the low quality of the available evidence, the effectiveness of this treatment cannot be determined
- Ministry Response
-
No recommendation was made.
-
To read the full OHTAC Recommendation Report for this topic, contact our Health Innovation team using the contact form to request a digital copy.
About 15% to 25% of patients with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer, which is an open sore on the foot. When diabetic foot ulcers do not heal, the affected foot may need to be amputated; people with diabetes experience lower limb amputation at about 20 times the rate of people without diabetes. When the foot ulcer does not heal despite optimal wound care, other therapeutic interventions may be offered, one of which is hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
This review compares the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of standard wound care plus hyperbaric oxygen therapy versus standard wound care alone for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. The review also examines the lived experience of patients who have undergone treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
In hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a patient enters a chamber that may fit a single person or multiple individuals. They are exposed to 100% oxygen while the atmospheric pressure is increased. To receive treatment, patients typically attend a hyperbaric oxygen therapy clinic five times a week and sit in a chamber for approximately 90 minutes at each visit.
Last Updated: February 24, 2026
