Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex disease process that involves both primary and secondary mechanisms of injury and can leave patients with devastating functional impairment as well as psychological debilitation. While no curative treatment is available for spinal cord injury, current therapeutic approaches focus on reducing the secondary injury that follows SCI. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy has shown promising neuroprotective effects in several experimental studies, but the limited number of clinical reports have shown mixed findings. This review will provide an overview of the potential mechanisms by which HBO therapy may exert neuroprotection, provide a summary of the clinical application of HBO therapy in patients with SCI, and discuss avenues for future studies.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Hyperbaric oxygenation alleviates chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain and inhibits GABAergic neuron apoptosis in the spinal cord.
Abstract: Dysfunction of GABAergic inhibitory controls contributes to the development of neuropathic pain. We examined our hypotheses that (1) chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain is associated with increased spinal GABAergic neuron apoptosis,...
Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on depression and anxiety in the patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (a STROBE-compliant article).
Little research has been done on the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on depression and anxiety after spinal cord injury (SCI). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HBO on psychological problems and never function, especially on depression and anxiety in the patients with incomplete SCI (ISCI).Sixty patients with ISCI combined with depression and anxiety were randomly divided into HBO group (20 cases), psychotherapy group (20 cases), and conventional rehabilitation control group (20 cases). All patients received routine rehabilitation therapy. However, in HBO group and psychotherapy group, patients also received HBO and psychotherapy, respectively. These therapies lasted for a total of 8 weeks (once a day and 6 days per week). Before and after 8 weeks of treatment, depression and anxiety, nerve function, and activities of daily living were, respectively, evaluated according to Hamilton Depression (HAMD) scale, Hamilton Anxiety (HAMA) scale, American Spinal Injury Association score, and functional independence measure score in all patients.After 8 weeks of treatment, HAMD score was significantly lower in both HBO group and psychotherapy group than in control group (all P < .05), but there was no statistical difference in HAMD score between HBO group and psychotherapy group (P > .05). HAMA score was significantly lower in HBO group than in control group (P < .05), but there was no statistical difference in HAMA score between HBO group and psychotherapy group, and between psychotherapy group and control group (all P > .05). After 8 weeks of treatment, American Spinal Injury Association and functional independence measure scores were significantly higher in HBO group than in both psychological and control groups, and also higher in psychotherapy group than in control group (all P < .05).The effects of HBO on depression and anxiety are similar to that of psychotherapy. HBO can significantly improve nerve function and activities of daily living in the patients with ISCI, which either psychotherapy or routine rehabilitation therapy can not substitute.
Clinical Trial – Hyperbaric Oxygen and Orthopedic Comprehensive Treatment for Traumatic Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury in the Plateau
To observe modified Barthel index, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale
grading, sensory score and motor score in patients with incomplete SCI in the plateau using
0.2 MPa HBO combined with pedicle screw fixation and decompressive laminectomy so as to
investigate the effect of HBO therapy on incomplete SCI in the plateau.
Geraniol promotes functional recovery and attenuates neuropathic pain in rats with spinal cord injury.
Abstract: Geraniol, a plant-derived monoterpene, has been extensively studied and showed a wide variety of beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of geraniol on functional recovery and neuropathic pain in rats with spinal...
Hyperbaric oxygen attenuates neuropathic pain and reverses inflammatory signaling likely via the Kindlin-1/Wnt-10a signaling pathway in the chronic pain injury model in rats.
Abstract: Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is proven to attenuate neuropathic pain in rodents. The goal of the present study was to determine the potential involvement of the Kindlin-1/Wnt-10a signaling pathway during astrocyte activation and inflammation in a rodent...
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment of spinal cord injury in rat model.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment on rats following spinal cord injury (SCI). A total of 45 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups. Sham-SCI...
Ultrasound as a safe and reliable guidance for subarachnoid puncture in rabbits.
Abstract: To evaluate a model for studying the toxicity in nervous tissue and meninges using ultrasound to guide needle insertion into the subarachnoid space of rabbits, with the objective of avoiding injuries triggered by the puncture and by intraneural injection of...
Epidemiological Characteristics of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in Guangdong, China.
Abstract: A hospital-based retrospective epidemiological study. The aim of this study was to examine the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in Guangdong to help health-related institutions develop...
Signaling pathways involved in HSP32 induction by hyperbaric oxygen in rat spinal neurons.
Abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating disease, effective prevention measures are in desperate need. Our previous work found that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) preconditioning significantly protected rats from SCI after stimulated diving, and in vitro study...