Transformative Impact of Vaporous Hyperoxia Therapy on Complex Wound Healing

Introduction: Chronic wounds impact nearly 7 million Americans, including 2 million individuals suffering from diabetic foot ulcers. With- out timely, effective intervention, these wounds often lead to infections, hospitalizations, and amputations, contributing to an estimated $50 billion annual burden on Medicare (Cho et al., 2022). The rising preva- lence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease further exacerbates the problem, underscoring the urgent need for innovative treatment solutions. Vaporous Hyperoxia Therapy (VHT) is a promising wound care modality that alternates cycles of hydrating vapor and concentrated oxy- gen to accelerate tissue healing. This adjunctive therapy presents a novel approach to improving outcomes in chronic wound management. Methods: This case series assessed the outcomes of four patients with chronic lower extremity wounds treated using a multimodal protocol that incorporated VHT*. Patients received 2–3 VHT sessions per week. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and thermography imaging** were uti- lized pre- and post- VHT and debridement sessions to monitor changes in tissue oxygenation and temperature. Clinical outcomes, including wound size reduction, granulation tissue formation, and improvements in tissue oxygenation, were tracked over a follow-up period of up to 12 weeks. Results: The integration of VHT into the treatment protocol resulted in significant clinical improvements. All four patients experienced pain reduction within 12 weeks. Wound surface areas decreased over the 12-week period too. Peri-wound tissue oxygenation showed marked improvement after each VHT session, with an increase of over 10% after four sessions. Oxygenation within the wound bed improved more grad- ually but also exhibited positive healing trends, supporting favorable wound healing trajectories. Discussion: This study demonstrates the transformative potential of VHT as an adjunctive treatment for complex wounds. The combination of VHT with advanced imaging technologies enables precise, data-driven therapeutic adjustments, facilitating personalized care. These findings provide compelling evidence for the broader clinical adoption of VHT and its integration into advanced wound care protocols.