Chronic wounds are one of the most prevalent and costly conditions in developed countries and are a heavy burden on patient quality of life. Treating the underlying metabolic demands of tissue can help wound healing, including delivering supplemental oxygen to hypoxic wound tissue. In this large 200-patient retrospective study, it is demonstrated that topically administered oxygen can increase healing in chronic wounds of all aetiologies. Topical oxygen was most effective in venous ulcers (VLUs), and achieved an average VLU closure of 52% over the study period. Longer treatment times were associated with more effective wound healing, as evidenced by an average wound closure of 67.9% in VLUs treated for >25 days. Portable topical oxygen delivery devices provide an effective therapeutic option for home-based wound care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
