hyperbaric-oxygen-chamber
HBOT Chamber

The BART Foundation aims to promote better outcomes for brain injury survivors by answering three questions – which alternative therapies are likely to work, where can they be found, and how can they be afforded? One of the ways we fulfill our mission is by carefully watching global research and clinical trial outcomes and sharing that information, in user-friendly language, with the TBI/ABI community.

We wanted to share this recent research article published in Frontiers in Neurology about research coming out of Nantong University in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical curative effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT) treatment and its mechanism in improving dysfunction following traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is one of the safe, alternative therapies the BART Foundation believes may help brain injury survivors. Perhaps if HBOT becomes more widely accepted as a treatment option, TBI/ABI/PCS survivors will be able to gain better access to this life-changing treatment.

The patients started HBO therapy when their vital signs had stabilized after admission, and received a total of 20 treatments continuously in monoplace hyperbaric oxygen chambers (Shanghai 701; Yang Garden Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China). A chamber pressure of 2.0 atmosphere absolute was chosen, with pressurization for 15 min, oxygen inhalation with constant pressure for 60 min, and decompression for 15 min, according to prior studies (101920). During HBO, professional nurses closely monitored the patients and immediately suspended treatment if a serious adverse reaction or an event reflecting intolerance of HBO occurred. Both groups received standardized functional rehabilitation training, routine medical interventions, and nursing care.

As a result of the study, the researchers concluded that HBOT improves consciousness, cognitive function, and prognosis in patients with severe or moderate TBI through decreasing TBI-induced hematoma volumes, promoting the recovery of EEG rhythms, and modulating the expression of serum NSE, S100β, GFAP, BDNF, NGF, and VEGF.