Abstract: Although hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy can promote the recovery of neural function in patients who have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI), the underlying mechanism is unclear. We hypothesized that hyperbaric oxygen treatment plays a neuroprotective role in TBI by increasing regional transcranial oxygen saturation (rSO2) and oxygen partial pressure (PaO2). To test this idea, we compared two groups: a control group with 20 healthy people and a treatment group with 40 TBI patients. The 40 patients were given 100% oxygen of HBO for 90 minutes. Changes in rSO2 were measured. The controls were also examined for rSO2 and PaO2, but received no treatment. rSO2 levels in the patients did not differ signifcantly after treatment, but levels before and after treatment were signifcantly lower than those in the control group. PaO2 levels were signifcantly decreased after the 30-minute HBO treatment. Our fndings suggest that there is a disorder of oxygen metabolism in patients with sub-acute TBI. HBO does not immediately affect cerebral oxygen metabolism, and the underlying mechanism still needs to be studied in depth.

Key words: nerve regeneration, hyperbaric oxygen, near-infrared spectroscopy, cerebral oxygen saturation, traumatic brain injury, oxygen partial pressure, oxygen metabolism, wound healing, neurological function, blood gas analysis, neural regeneration