Abstract
Background. Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORN) is an infrequent yet potentially devastating complication of radiation therapy to the head and neck region. Treatment options include antimicrobial therapy, local sequestrectomy, resection, and the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO). Published data on ORN are difficult to compare because of the lack of a universally accepted classification and staging system, and the literature on the use of HBO to either prevent or successfully manage ORN is controversial and inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to establish a standard approach for using HBO at our institution.
Materials and Methods. A literature search was conducted of articles published in the English language between January 1980 and January 2016. Retrieved articles were evaluated by two independent reviewers. Isolated case reports, abstracts, case series, review articles, and cohort studies without a control group were excluded; summary data were extracted from the remaining studies. A panel of experts from Head and Neck Oncology and OralMedicine fromthe Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital reviewed the summary data and established multidisciplinary guidelines on the use of HBO for the prevention andmanagement of ORN.
Results. Seven studies were evaluated and reviewed by the multidisciplinary panel. There was no consistent evidence in support of HBO for either the prevention or management of ORN.
Conclusion. Based on the available evidence and expert opinion, routine use of HBO for the prevention or management of ORN is not recommended and is rarely used at our institution.