What it is
Skin grafts and surgical flaps live on a knife's edge in their first days — newly placed tissue surviving on marginal blood supply. When one turns pale or dusky, it's failing, and with it the reconstruction it was meant to achieve.
How hyperbaric oxygen helps
HBOT keeps compromised grafts and flaps alive through the crisis: dissolved oxygen sustains the tissue while new blood vessels grow in, swelling drops, and the graft "takes." Studies show meaningfully higher salvage rates when HBOT starts promptly after compromise is recognized.
What treatment looks like
Time-sensitive: usually 10–20 sessions at 2.0–2.5 ATA, often starting with twice-daily treatment during the critical window.
- Call the moment your surgeon suspects compromise — early treatment is everything.
- FDA-recognized, insurance-covered.
- We coordinate directly with your plastic or reconstructive surgeon.
The evidence, honestly
Grade A — Strong Evidence
Supported by randomized trials and/or decades of consistent clinical results.
-
An evidence-based appraisal of the use of hyperbaric oxygen on flaps and grafts
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery · 2006 · review
Appraisal concluding HBOT improves salvage of compromised (but not primarily well-perfused) skin grafts and flaps, supporting its FDA-recognized use in this setting.
Common questions
My graft is turning dark — how fast should we act?
Within hours, not days. Compromised tissue is actively dying; the sooner oxygen support starts, the more of the graft survives. Have your surgeon call us immediately.
Educational content, not medical advice — see our medical disclaimer. *Medicare coverage requires meeting clinical criteria; we verify yours for free. Last medically reviewed July 2026 by Dr. David Greene, MD.