Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is damage to the brain by an outside force, including both wounds penetrating the skull and closed head injuries (CHIs). About 2 million Americans a year suffer a TBI and half a million are hospitalized. Improved treatments and safety equipment have led to fewer TBI deaths but more disabilities in recent decades. Survivors face serious rehabilitation challenges and lifelong physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The brain is easily injured by direct impact, whether a sharp or a blunt force, or by sudden acceleration of the head. Common causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) include vehicular accidents, falls, sports injuries, explosions, gunshots, and violent blows. Intracranial pressure and ischemia (vascular bleeding or clotting) may cause further brain damage or death days after the injury.

Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of death in patients with traumatic brain injury. By increasing the circulation of oxygenated blood in the brain, HBOT may also help reduce the extent of brain damage and speed recovery and rehabilitation. It has been approved for patients with intracranial abscess and acute traumatic ischemias based on similar claims, and penetrating TBI may further involve chronic wounds and various bacterial infections for which hyperbaric oxygen is proven an effective treatment. TBI has become an especially active area of political action and HBOT research sponsored by the US Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration.

HyperbaricLink Evidence Index for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The HyperbaricLink Evidence Index is our at-a-glance summary of the clinical evidence on HBOT for the treatment of specific diseases and conditions. Scoring is based solely on our reading and interpretation of the medical literature.

• Disproved - Strong evidence against using HBOT.
• None - Unfavorable results or no published evidence.
• Scant - Early or mixed results with lingering questions.
• Promising - Repeatedly favorable results urging further study.
• Compelling - Strong body of evidence meriting approval.
• Approved - HBOT indicated and widely reimbursed.

Follow the links to our primary sources to read the papers and analyses that have shaped our views. PubMed.gov lists most all scientific papers published in reputable medical journals. HBOEvidence.com critically appraises key studies in the hyperbaric medical literature. ClinicalTrials.gov lists human clinical trials currently enrolling, in progress, and recently completed.

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