Mechanism
Antimicrobial Activity
Hyperbaric oxygen has direct and indirect antimicrobial effects. High oxygen tensions are hostile to anaerobic bacteria and strengthen the oxidative "burst" that white blood cells use to kill pathogens. This dual action underpins HBOT's adjunctive role in gas gangrene, necrotising infections and refractory osteomyelitis.
Detailed mechanism
Oxygen is utilized by neutrophils and macrophages to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that destroy bacteria. HBOT is directly bactericidal to obligate anaerobes and enhances the efficacy of certain antibiotics, particularly aminoglycosides.
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