HYPERBARIC OXYGEN AND MID BRAIN TRAUMA

Revisitation of Hyperbaric Oxygenation in Mid Brian Trauma

H. Wassman, M.D.

Of the 714 head injured patients which were treated between 1969 – 1972, there were 111 with mid-brain syndrome (MBS). Of these, 99 were selected for comparative clinical investigations. All patients were treated with the same intensive measures and every second patient received hyperbaric oxygenation in addition. The comparison between the intensive therapy group (Group A) and the group treated with intensive therapy plus hyperbaric oxygenation (Group B) show: 1. The survival time was substantially longer in the patients in Group B. 2. The survival rate was materially larger in Group B, not only in the patients with contusion but also in those who had an intracranical hemorrhage as the cause of their mid-brain syndrome. 3. The proportion of survivors was considerably higher in Group B in the age group 1 – 30 years; after the age of 40 only a small difference in favor of the patients receiving hyperbaric oxygenation could be recognized. At the conclusion of treatment, 73% of the patients in Group A were either dead or apallic, as compared to 53% in Group B; complete recovery occurred in only 6% of Group A, but in 33% of Group B.

These results show that by the addition of Hyperbaric Oxygenation the traumatic mid-brain syndrome is reversible in substantially larger degree and that a definitely larger number of cases obtain a complete cure. The introduction of hyperbaric oxygenation with traumatic mid-brain syndrome has thus proved itself. Especially in the younger patients (1-30 years) the use of hyperbaric oxygenation greatly improved the prognosis, so that its use with these patients should be especially required.