What Researchers Did
Researchers systematically reviewed 16 studies to determine whether brain wave (EEG) changes during high-oxygen breathing could predict an impending CNS oxygen toxicity seizure, the most dangerous complication of HBOT, before it occurs.
What They Found
Twenty-two articles from 16 studies were included. Most study groups were small and exclusively male. A variety of EEG analysis methods were used (spectral analysis, evoked potentials, connectivity analysis) with no consistent pattern identified. The overall evidence was too limited and varied to support real-time seizure prediction with EEG.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Oxygen toxicity seizures are a known risk during HBOT, and currently there is no reliable way to warn patients or staff before one occurs. This review confirms that EEG monitoring during HBOT has not yet been proven effective as a safety tool. Canadian hyperbaric centers should be aware that no evidence-based early warning system for CNS oxygen toxicity currently exists.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The reviewed studies were small, methodologically inconsistent, and mostly limited to healthy male participants, not the complex patient populations seen in clinical HBOT practice.