Do you recommend prophylactic hyperbaric oxygen for patients who require tooth extraction after head and neck radiation?   

The benefit of prophylactic HBO before extraction in HNC was determined in a single randomized study from 1985 (Marx RE et al), where pts received 2D RT, likely delivering the full tumor dose to the posterior mandible. However, using IMRT sparing the non-involved mandible (and producing a dose gradi...

Dental problems continue to show up in our patients years after the completion of curative head and neck radiotherapy regimens. I also see a knee jerk reaction from many dentists to use prophylactic HBO. Occasionally a dentist will request that I write the prescription for the HBO including number o...