Objective: Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is based on breathing of pure oxygen under higher pressure than ambient pressure. This method is used for treatment of more than twenty diseases and pathophysiologic conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for acute traumatic ischemia and crush injury. It is observational, retrospective study of treatment results of all patients admitted for treatment to our centre in 2005. Methods and Results: Since 1965 more than 14,000 patients with total amount of 168,000 expositions were treated in our centre. We have treated more than 2,300 patients for severe injuries up to date. 40 patients (12 females and 28 males) with mean age of 47 years were treated during 2005. Treatment results were assessed excellently in 30 patients (76%) and treatment failure was observed in 5 patients (12%). Treatment process could not be finished according to the treatment schedule due to different reasons in 5 patients (12%). Conclusion: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an effective adjunctive treatment method within complex approach to severely injured patients. This method should be extended and it should be available within first 24 hours from injury, particularly within traumatologic centres of teaching hospitals.

        Key words: hyperbaric oxygenation, ischemia, crush injury