How to reduce the incidence of lower extermity amputations in diabetes Literature review

How to reduce the incidence of lower extermity amputations in diabetes with Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy - Literature review Example This study looks into hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), a popular treatment method for decompression sickness. It utilizes a special sealed chamber which is pressurized up to three times the normal atmospheric. Inside the chamber the patient can breathe pure oxygen, hence effectively increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood. Over the years, HBOT has been used to treat various illnesses including gas embolism, gas gangrene, skin grafts, bone infections and many others. While HBOT has been used to treat many conditions, there is still conflicting evidence as to its effectiveness in treating infections of the skin and tissues. In a research by Meryl Brod it was mentioned, â€Å"Lower extremity ulcers are among the most common and costly complications of diabetes. They are a leading cause of amputation and account for more hospital days than other diabetic complications†. Aside from its economic cost, diabetic ulcers has a negative impact on a person’s quality of life; thereby making treatment for lower extremity ulcers a priority for many health care practitioners. Having said this, it is now important to qualify that this critical appraisal isn’t really about preventing amputations among diabetic patients, but rather, finding an effective treatment to cure foot ulcers. The researcher searched two databases, PubMed and Google Scholar. The search terms used were hyperbaric oxygen therapy, curing diabetic ulcers, preventing diabetic amputations, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and diabetes, and effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen in curing diabetic wounds. Thousands of resources were returned so several criteria for inclusion was created. Resources were accepted or rejected based on the following criteria: (1) the study cover the treatment for diabetes wounds and ulcers (2) the study must not be older than 1995; (3) the study must be in English; (4) the study must involve human subjects. Accepted resources were subjected to an ancestry search of th eir references to discover new resources which can be used to address the clinical question. Ten (10) studies were then included at the end of this search. The resources are intentionally international in scope in order to determine what factors may affect the efficacy of HBOT in treating lower extremity wounds and ulcers. Method for Appraising Articles For the purpose of this study, methodology for rapid critical appraisal (RCA) will be utilized. Through the RCA, this critical appraisal paper will review each study in order to determine (1) its level of evidence, (2) how well it was conducted, and (3) how useful it is to practice (Fineout-Overholt et al. 2010).