|  | Conditions Treatments | Wounds Injuries

Osteoradionecrosis and the Marx Protocol

Osteoradionecrosis is a condition that is affects the hard bone tissue and is most common the mouth. The Marx Protocol is an effective method of treating osteoradionecrosis using hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

  1. Osteoradionecrosis

    • Osteoradionecrosis appears following radiation treatment for neck and mouth cancer. The radiation injury prevents proper healing of the affected area. A simple procedure like a tooth extraction can cause osteoradionecrosis, although it can take weeks or months to develop.

    Marx Protocol

    • Dr. Robert Marx defined a staged system of treatment to maximise healing using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and surgery. Thirty treatments are given to the patient prior to surgery to remove dead tissue. After surgery, the patient has a further ten treatments.

    Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

    • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is the inhalation of pure oxygen at high pressure and was originally used to treat divers with decompression illness. Patients breathe the oxygen through a chamber placed on their head or lying down in a hyperbaric chamber where they are completely enclosed.

Wounds Injuries - Related Articles