Experimental studies and clinical experience have shown that HBOT can significantly improve the outcome of Traumatic Brain Injury. This happens as the hyperbaric hyper-oxygenated environment triggers vasoconstriction and reduces cerebral blood flow thus lowering intercranial pressure and increases oxygenation to the damaged tissue.
Traumatic Brian Injury leads to a plethora of unwanted events, reduced blood supply, low oxygen and fluid build-up leading to increased intercranial pressure and increased coronary blood flow and a change to the metabolic and enzyme balance. This in turn leads to acidification of the body and an increase in lactic acid production, which in turn leads to free radical release and vasodilation.
HBOT has been shown to alkalise the body’s environment and reverse these effects. Historically this alkalisation and increased oxygenation and vasoconstriction were seen as the most important aspects of HBOT’s success in treating Traumatic Brain Injury, however it is now known that HBOT improves the cerebral metabolism at a cellular level by increasing mitochondrial recovery. The ideal treatment recommended was 1.5ATA for 60 mins.
(Rockwood et al.2007)
K K Jain in the “Text book of Hyperbaric Medicine”
