Grand Round: Hyperbaric Oxygen in Wound Healing: Understanding the Essential Science

Acute wounds (such as surgical incisions) normally proceed through an orderly and timely sequence of physiologic events that ultimately result in the restoration of anatomic and functional integrity. Conversely, chronic wounds fail to proceed through this normal restorative cascade, with the clinical result of poor or delayed healing. Diabetic foot ulcerations, venous leg ulcers, and tissue pressure injuries are common examples of this phenomenon.