2013 Volume 22 Issue 1 Pages 147-152
The object of this study was to estimate the influence of radiation therapy (RT) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) on osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ). This retrospective study included patients who were diagnosed with ORNJ from 1998 to 2012 (15 years) and who recieved a total dose of RT (Gy) for the duration of the study. The duration of ORNJ development and the healing period of ORNJ were examined. The mean dose of RT was 64.0 Gy. The mean healing period of ORNJ was 30.3 months in the continuous RT group, and 20.8 months in the pre- and post-operative irradiation group. The healing term for ORNJ with HBO was approximately the same as that without HBO. We concluded continuous RT may induce more severe ORNJ than pre- and post-operative RT, and that the effectiveness of HBO on ORNJ is suspicious.
