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A Novel In Vitro Model of Blast Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: December 21, 2018
Role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in severe head injury in children
Advait Prakash1, Sandesh V Parelkar, Sanjay N Oak
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India.
Insights
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) significantly improves outcomes for children with severe traumatic brain injury. This treatment reduced hospital stays, improved neurological function, and decreased disability, enhancing quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Hyperbaric Medicine
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children can lead to lasting cognitive, emotional, and physical impairments.
- Predicting outcomes for pediatric TBI is challenging due to limitations in current prognostic tools.
- Severe TBI requires effective therapeutic interventions to mitigate long-term deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in pediatric patients with severe TBI.
- To assess the strengths and limitations of HBOT as an adjunctive treatment for severe pediatric brain injuries.
- To provide a clinical guide on HBOT for severe TBI in children.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 56 pediatric patients with severe head injury (Glasgow Coma Scale < 8) and no other associated injuries.
- 28 patients received three sessions of HBOT at 1-week intervals after initial conservative management.
- Comparison with a control group of similar severity (GCS < 8) to assess treatment effects.
Main Results:
- Patients receiving HBOT demonstrated significantly shorter hospital stays compared to the control group.
- Improved Glasgow Coma Scale scores were observed in the HBOT group.
- A notable reduction in disability and improved social behavior were reported in children treated with HBOT.
Conclusions:
- The addition of HBOT to standard care significantly enhances outcomes in children with traumatic brain injury.
- HBOT improves the overall quality of life for pediatric patients suffering from severe TBI.
- Adjunctive HBOT therapy effectively reduces the risk of complications associated with severe TBI in children.
Aim:
A brain injury results in a temporary or permanent impairment of cognitive, emotional, and/or physical function. Predicting the outcome of pediatric brain injury is difficult. Prognostic instruments are not precise enough to reliably predict individual patient's mortality and long-term functional status. The purpose of this article is to provide a guide to the strengths and limitations of the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in treating pediatric patients with severe brain injury.
Materials And Methods:
We studied total 56 patients of head injury. Out of them 28 received HBOT. Only cases with severe head injury [Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 8] with no other associated injury were included in the study group. After an initial period of resuscitation and conservative management (10-12 days), all were subjected to three sessions of HBOT at 1-week interval. This study group was compared with a control group of similar severity of head injury (GCS < 8).
Results:
The study and control groups were compared in terms of duration of hospitalization, GCS, disability reduction,and social behavior. Patients who received HBOT were significantly better than the control group on all the parameters with decreased hospital stay, better GCS, and drastic reduction in disability.
Conclusion:
In children with traumatic brain injury, the addition of HBOT significantly improved outcome and quality of life and reduced the risk of complications.
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