Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury

The effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the treatment of traumatic brain injury are well documented and are becoming more well known.  The blood loss in the damaged area of the brain can be a result of embolism, vascular occlusion, aneurysm or trauma.  The effect of Hyperbaric Oxygeny Therapy in these patients, regardless of the etiology of their condition, will cause the blood vessels in the area to constrict thereby lessening the inflammation or edema in the area.  This edema and compromised oxygenation of the surrounding tissues ultimately results in nerve damage or cell death.  It is this injury also, known as ischemia, that leads to the neurological sequellae; paralysis or partial paralysis,  paresis or limited function of the body depending on the severity and the location of the injury.

Since Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy causes vasoconstriction, the bleeding associated with TBI is slowed or stopped and the surrounding edema is contained. Angiogenesis or the creation of new blood vessels will help to improve the oxygenation of the damaged cells and stimulate stem cells in the area of the injury to improve function of the healthy cells in the vicinity of the damage.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy significantly improves energy metabolism in the border zones of focal cerebral ischemia which are the areas protected by oxygen.  This has been demonstrated on SPECT scans and functional MRI’s of the brains of these patients.

Research & Studies

• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury
  Huang, L, Obenaus, A

• Cerebral Blood Flow Changes and Cognitive Improvement in Chronic Stable Traumatic Brain Injuries Treated with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
  Kevin F. Barrett, Brent E. Masel, Galveston, TX; Paul G. Harch, New Orleans, LA; Fred Ingram, Kevan P. Corson, Jon T. Mader, Galveston, TX

• Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury
  Lin JW, Tsai JT, Lee LM, Lin CM, Hung CC, Hung KS, Chen WY, Wei L, Ko CP, Su YK, Chiu

• Neuroprotective Effect of Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in brain injury is mediated by preservation of mitochondrial membrane properties
  Palzur E, Zaaroor M, Vlodavsky E, Milman F, Soustiel JF

• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Reduces Neuroinflammation and Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in the Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury
  Vlodavsky E, Palzur E, Soustiel JF

• Hyperbaric Oxygen in the Treatment of Patients with Cerebral Stroke, Brain Trauma, and Neurologic Disease
  Al-Waili NS, Butler GJ, Beale J, Abdullah MS, Hamilton RW, Lee BY, Lucus P, Allen MW, Petrillo, RL, Carrey Z, Finkelstein M.

• Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygenation Therapy on Cerebral Metabolism and Intracranial Pressure in Severely Brain Injured Patients
  Rockswold SB, Rockswold GL, Vargo JM, Erickson CA, Sutton RL, Bergman TA, Biros MH