Hyperbaric Treatment for Stroke Victims

Hyperbaric treatment for stroke victims entails entering a pressurized chamber and breathing pure oxygen in the hope of improving or recovering from stroke damage. Governing medical authorities currently discount the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for this condition.

Function

• The procedure, breathing 100 percent oxygen at a higher pressure than normal air pressure, forces extra oxygen into the bloodstream through plasma, a part of the blood that normally does not carry oxygen.

Significance

• HBOT strives to reduce swelling on the brain and encourage the growth of new brain cells, theoretically improving speech, memory, cognitive skills and other areas that have been damaged by stroke.

Time Frame

• Hyperbaric treatment can be time-intensive. "We typically treat each person 1-2 times a day for 1 hour each treatment, for a total of 40 treatments," says Dr. Ted Cole of Cincinnati Hyperbarics. "Before further treatments can be given, the patient must wait at least 4-6 weeks. Then, another set of 40 treatments can be given."

Research

• Many physicians feel that insufficient research exists to prove the effectiveness of HBOT for stroke recovery. "There's no conclusive evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves the outcome of stroke," says Dr. Jerry W. Swanson, a neurologist with Mayo Clinic.

Considerations

• HBOT for stroke is considered "off-label," meaning that the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, the governing authority for hyperbaric treatment, has not officially approved HBOT as an effective treatment for stroke.