Background: In neuromodulation therapies, hardware-related infections are a major challenge often leading to hardware removal. Objective: To investigate the role of adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in hardware-related infections. Methods: Fourteen hardware-related infection events in 12 consecutive patients between 2002 and 2015 were treated with antibiotics and adjuvant HBOT at the Karolinska University Hospital (Stockholm, Sweden). Two time-independent infection events related to hardware replacements occurred in 2 patients. Infection resolution and the need for hardware removal were assessed. Results: Twelve out of 14 events of hardware-related infection were successfully treated without hardware removal (86%). The 2 patients treated twice with HBOT on 2 time-independent occasions could retain their hardware in both cases. Hardware was removed following HBOT failure in 2 infection events, with long-term infection control achieved in all patients. Further, an intrathecal pump malfunction caused by HBOT at 2.8 bars was observed, leading to a change in the manufacturer’s guidelines. Conclusions: This study indicates a potential benefit of adjuvant HBOT in the treatment of hardware-related infections in neuromodulation, diminishing the need for hardware removal and treatment interruption. Prospective studies are warranted to establish the role of adjuvant HBOT in the treatment of hardware-related infections in neuromodulation.

Keywords:
Deep brain stimulation, Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Hardware-related infection, Intrathecal baclofen pump, Spinal cord stimulation, Neuromodulatory devices
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