EFFECTIVENESS OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MANDIBULAR WOUND WITH BONE EXPOSURE IN A FEMALE DOG UNDERGOING MANDIBULECTOMY: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

The formation of granulation tissue over exposed bone surfaces is classically considered unlikely according to the veterinary orthopedic literature, especially in the absence of viable periosteum or soft tissue coverage. This paper reports a female dog that underwent nodulectomy with mandibulectomy, which progressed to exposure of both mandibular rami, followed by granulation tissue formation and complete wound closure after sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). HBOT reverses hypoxia, stimulates angiogenesis, promotes fibroblast proliferation, and controls infection, potentially creating a permissive environment for granulation over bone. This case report contributes to the veterinary literature by documenting an exception and proposing physiological mechanisms to explain it, suggesting that HBOT may be considered as an adjuvant therapy in wounds with canine bone exposure prior to complex reconstructive procedures.