Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Heals Osteomyelitis, Prevents Further Amputation

It had been an average weekend. On Sunday, Marc Zarou enjoyed his cousin’s birthday party while dodging the summer rains. He experienced a little bit of knee pain afterwards, but with no other symptoms, he assumed it would eventually resolve on its own.

By Thursday, however, the Uniondale resident woke up to an unpleasant surprise. “My foot blew up to the size of two bricks. It was just huge,” Marc explained. The swelling had also caused a lack of blood flow to his toes, turning several of them black. He immediately went to the emergency room, where they discovered he had developed a severe case of cellulitis that led to osteomyelitis.

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin and underlying tissues. If not treated promptly and effectively, the infection can spread to the bones. Once it progresses to osteomyelitis, treatment becomes difficult and requires extensive medical intervention.

For two years, Marc battled his diagnosis with multiple surgeries, antibiotics and painful treatments. He even underwent an amputation of two of his infected toes. But no matter what his physicians tried, the infection returned and produced deep, open ulcers on his feet that were further complicated by his underlying diabetes. Diabetes can weaken the immune system, impair blood flow to the extremities and lead to nerve damage, all of which increase the chance of infection and the progression of osteomyelitis, particularly in the feet.

His surgeons warned that they would have to amputate his foot if they couldn’t heal the infection, so Marc was advised against walking or causing pressure to the area. That meant he would have to suspend his social life, refrain from his exercise regimen and take a medical leave of absence from work in order to give his foot the opportunity to properly heal. “There’s not much bone left for them to remove if the infection keeps coming back, and I didn’t want to lose my foot,” he explained. “That was the main concern.” 

At that point, the now 38-year-old was referred to the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine & Wound Healing at St. Joseph Hospital for hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy to help with the lingering infection. HBO therapy is a proven adjunct treatment for osteomyelitis because it increases the oxygen level in the blood, which helps white blood cells fight infection, reduce swelling and promote new blood vessel growth, all of which support healing. “This is done by simply entering a pressurized glass chamber and breathing in pure, medical grade oxygen for two hours per day, five days a week,” explains Program Director Diane Kret, PhD, RN, NPD-BD, CMRSN, ACNS-BC.

Marc was familiar with HBO therapy, as his father had successfully undergone the same treatment for radiation injury following his cancer diagnosis several years prior. He was hopeful for similar results, and his optimism was rewarded. Though he was scheduled for 30 treatments, he began seeing results almost immediately. “Within two weeks, all of the ulcers started closing up,” he explained.

“Marc was very patient with the process and he got great results with his treatment,” said Diane. “It’s very rewarding when we can help a patient heal and restore their quality of life.”

Now with the 30 treatments completed, Marc is fully healed and the infection has cleared. “Everything seems to be going the right way and I’m looking forward to finally having a full summer where I don’t have to worry,” he said. “The staff here was fantastic and everyone I’ve met has been so nice. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy worked for my father and it worked for me. It can help you heal and move on with your life,” he recommends.