Knowledge that Transforms

We present two cases of cricoid chondronecrosis treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO 2 ) therapy. Both patients presented with biphasic stridor and dyspnea several weeks after an intubation event. Tracheostomy was ultimately performed for airway protection, followed by antibiotic treatment and outpatient HBO 2 therapy. Both patients were decannulated within six months of presentation and after at least 20 HBO 2 therapy sessions. Despite a small sample size, our findings are consistent with data supporting HBO 2 therapy's effects on tissue edema, neovascularization, and HBO 2 potentiation of antibiotic treatment and leukocyte function. We suggest HBO 2 therapy may have accelerated airway decannulation by way of infection resolution as well as the revitalization of upper airway tissues, ultimately renewing the structural integrity of the larynx. When presented with this rare but significant clinical challenge, physicians should be aware of the potential benefits of HBO 2 therapy.