What Researchers Did
Researchers studied 92 patients with severe head injuries to see if hyperbaric oxygen therapy was safe to use alongside other treatments.
What They Found
In a study of 92 patients, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) was found to be permissible after removing intracranial hematomas, even with occasional seizures, if there was no history of epilepsy. HBOT did not worsen or restart bleeding in traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage or after surgery for hematomas and brain contusions. It also did not affect cerebrospinal fluid leakage, cause air in the skull, or lead to infections.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This early research suggests that HBOT might be a safe additional treatment for Canadian patients recovering from severe head injuries, even after surgery to remove blood clots. It indicates that HBOT may not worsen common complications like bleeding or fluid leaks in these patients. However, this is an older study and current practices may differ.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This study is observational, from 1981, and does not provide details on the specific hyperbaric oxygen therapy protocols used.