Clinical research on the therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen coupled with electrical stimulation at Neikuan Luo-Connecting point in patients with severe coma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) coupled with electrical stimulation at Neikuan Luo-Connecting point for promotion of conscious recovery in the patients with severe coma. Methods One hundred and twenty-eight cases of severe coma for a month and with Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores of 3-8 were recruited as study subjects. The patients were divided into the treatment group and the control group in accordance with different treatment methods, each consisting of 64 subjects. The control group received conventional therapy plus electrical stimulation at Neikuan Luo-Connecting point, while the treatment group received conventional therapy and electrical stimulation at Neikuan Luo-Connecting point plus HBO with the therapeutic pressure at 0.2 MPa (2.0 ATA). After 5 consecutive treatment courses, GCS scores were assayed and EEG detections were made in the patients of the 2 groups, and then therapeutic results were evaluated and compared. Results GCS scores for the treatment group and the control group were respectively (11.15±1.52) and (8.95±1.32), and statistical significance could be seen when comparisons were made between the 2 groups (P<0.05). Conclusions HBO coupled with electrical stimulation at Neikuan Luo-Connecting point in the treatment of patients with severe coma could obviously improve brain electrical activity and displayed good effect on the promotion of conscious recovery. Key words: Hyperbaric oxygen; Electrical stimulation at Neikuan Luo-Connecting point; Severe coma; Promotion of conscious recovery