What counts as HBOT success?
HBOT success rates vary sharply by condition. Diabetic wound patients are 4 times more likely to achieve complete healing with HBOT than with standard care alone (OR 4.00, 95% CI 1.54-10.44). Carbon monoxide poisoning resolves in 95%+ of cases. For off-label conditions like TBI and Long COVID, success is measured in symptom-score improvements, not cure rates. The number depends entirely on what you are treating and how the outcome is defined. Success rates are highest for the recognized uses listed in our guide to the FDA-cleared indications for HBOT.
This page compiles the best available clinical data for the FDA-cleared indications listed in our guide to HBOT billing and CPT codes and the most-studied off-label conditions. All figures are drawn from published clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.
What is the HBOT success rate for each FDA-cleared condition?
| Indication | Key Success Metric | Evidence Level |
|---|---|---|
| Decompression sickness | 85-95% symptom resolution | Strong (standard of care) |
| Carbon monoxide poisoning | 80-90% prevention of delayed neuro sequelae | Strong (RCTs) |
| Gas gangrene | 70-85% survival + tissue salvage | Strong (case series) |
| Diabetic foot ulcers (Wagner grade 3+) | 52% complete healing at 1 year8; OR 4.00 vs standard care1 | Strong (multiple RCTs) |
| Radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis | 84% partial or complete resolution (602 patients)5 | Moderate (13 studies) |
| Radiation cystitis (Medicare cohort) | 53% mortality reduction; 36% urinary bleeding reduction6 | Strong (3,309 patients) |
| Necrotizing soft tissue infections | 56% in-hospital mortality reduction2 | Strong (48,744 patients, 21 studies) |
| Compromised flaps/grafts | 70-85% graft/flap survival | Moderate |
| Chronic refractory osteomyelitis | 60-80% infection resolution | Moderate |
| Air/gas embolism | 80-90% symptom resolution | Strong (standard of care) |
How well does HBOT heal diabetic foot ulcers?
The strongest evidence base for HBOT success comes from diabetic foot ulcer research, where multiple RCTs and meta-analyses produce consistent results.17810
“HBOT patients had a 4 times greater chance of complete diabetic wound healing compared to standard care alone (OR 4.00, 95% CI 1.54-10.44).”
Moreira da Cruz et al. 2021, International Angiology (11 RCTs, 668 patients)
- Complete healing at 1 year: 52% HBOT vs 29% placebo (P=0.03) in the gold-standard HODFU double-blind RCT8
- Per-protocol healing (35+ sessions): 61% vs 27% placebo (P=0.009)8
- Major amputation reduction: 47% lower risk (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32-0.90)1
- Wound area reduction at 2 weeks: 23.19% greater in the HBOT group (95% CI 14.86-31.52)1
- Major amputation (14-study meta-analysis): RR 0.31 (95% CI 0.18-0.52, P<0.00001), a 69% reduction7
A separate 2021 randomized study in Scientific Reports reported consistent improvement in ulcer healing with adjunctive HBOT.10 For a deeper breakdown, see our HBOT diabetic foot ulcer data.
How effective is HBOT for radiation injury?
“Medicare data from 3,309 patients showed HBOT reduced mortality by 53% and saved $11,548 per patient when 40 or more sessions were given for radiation cystitis.”
Feldmeier et al. 2024, Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine
- 84% partial or complete resolution in hemorrhagic cystitis (602 patients, 13 studies)5
- 75% of patients improved at least one RTOG grade5
- 36% reduction in urinary bleeding; 78% reduction in blood transfusion frequency6
- 31% reduction in endoscopic procedures; 53% mortality reduction6
Does HBOT reduce deaths from necrotizing infections?
“In the largest analysis ever conducted on necrotizing soft tissue infections, covering 48,744 patients across 21 studies, HBOT reduced the odds of dying by 56% (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.33-0.58).”
Hedetoft et al. 2021, Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine
Does HBOT work for off-label conditions?
Off-label success is real for some conditions and thin for others. The honest summary: symptom-score improvements in controlled trials, not the cure rates seen in the FDA-cleared indications. For the fuller picture, see our off-label HBOT statistics.
Fistulizing Crohn’s disease
A 2023 meta-analysis of 164 patients and 5,125 HBOT sessions reported 87% overall clinical response (95% CI 0.70-0.95) with a 59% complete remission rate.3 Ulcerative colitis showed 87% clinical remission in a separate analysis.4
Long COVID
The Tel Aviv RCT enrolled 73 patients with post-COVID cognitive symptoms and showed improvements in attention, executive function, memory, and brain perfusion on MRI.12 A multicenter registry study found Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory scores dropped from 30.6 to 14.4 (P<0.001).11
Anti-aging
Hachmo et al. (2020) reported that 60 sessions at 2.0 ATA produced telomere lengthening of more than 20% in immune cells and a 37.3% decrease in senescent T cells in 35 healthy adults over age 64.9 No control group was included, so long-term clinical significance requires further study.
What makes HBOT more likely to work?
Does chamber pressure change the odds?
Clinical outcomes data is generated at 2.0 to 2.4 ATA in medical-grade hard chambers delivering 100% oxygen. Soft chambers at 1.3 ATA deliver approximately 230 mmHg oxygen partial pressure, compared with 1,520 mmHg at 2.0 ATA in a hard chamber. The success figures on this page were produced at clinical pressures and should not be assumed to transfer to mild home chambers.
How many HBOT sessions do you need?
Most positive clinical trials used 30 to 60 sessions. The HODFU trial found per-protocol patients completing 35 or more sessions achieved 61% complete healing versus 27% for placebo (P=0.009).8
Who is a good candidate for HBOT?
Outcomes improve when patients are properly screened. For wound care, transcutaneous oxygen testing is often used to confirm that tissue oxygen delivery will benefit from pressurized oxygen at 2.0 to 2.4 ATA.
Sources
- Moreira da Cruz D, Oliveira-Pinto J, Mansilha A. The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic review with meta-analysis. International Angiology. 2021. DOI: 10.23736/S0392-9590.21.04722-2
- Hedetoft M, Bennett M, Hyldegaard O. Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen treatment for necrotising soft-tissue infections. Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. 2021. DOI: 10.28920/dhm51.1.34-43
- Dokmak A, et al. Efficacy and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in fistulizing Crohn’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2023. DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izac247.121
- McCurdy J, et al. Effectiveness and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in various phenotypes of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2021. DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izab098
- Cardinal JR, et al. Scoping review and meta-analysis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. Current Urology Reports. 2018. DOI: 10.1007/s11934-018-0790-3
- Feldmeier JJ, et al. Controlled CMS data demonstrates a cost and clinical advantage for hyperbaric oxygen for radiation cystitis. Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine. 2024. DOI: 10.22462/704
- Oley MH, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for diabetic foot ulcers based on Wagner grading. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. 2024. DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000005692
- Londahl M, Katzman P, Nilsson A, Hammarlund C. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilitates healing of chronic foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2010. DOI: 10.2337/dc09-1754
- Hachmo Y, Hadanny A, Abu Hamed R, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases telomere length and decreases immunosenescence in isolated blood cells. Aging. 2020. DOI: 10.18632/aging.202188
- Sharma R, et al. Efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for diabetic foot ulcer. Scientific Reports. 2021. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81886-1
- Tanaka H, et al. Emerging indications for hyperbaric oxygen treatment: registry cohort study. Interactive Journal of Medical Research. 2023. DOI: 10.2196/53821
- Zilberman-Itskovich S, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves neurocognitive functions and symptoms of post-COVID condition. Scientific Reports. 2022. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15565-0
Medical Disclaimer
The content on BaricBoost.com is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Author
Seph Fontane Pennock is the founder of BaricBoost.com and Regenerated.com, a clinic directory for regenerative medicine serving 10,000+ providers across the United States. He previously built and sold PositivePsychology.com, which grew to 19 million users and became the largest evidence-based positive psychology resource on the web. Seph brings direct experience as an HBOT patient, having completed protocols at clinics across three continents while navigating mold illness, systemic inflammation, and autoimmune conditions. His treatment journey includes hyperbaric oxygen therapy, peptide protocols, NAD+ therapy, and consultations with specialists from Dubai to Cape Town to Mexico. This combination of entrepreneurial track record and lived patient experience shapes everything published on BaricBoost.com. Every article is grounded in peer-reviewed research, informed by real clinical encounters, and written for patients making high-stakes treatment decisions. Seph's focus is on bringing transparency, scientific rigor, and practical guidance to the hyperbaric oxygen therapy space.
