Effects of hyperbaricoxygen therapy on the brain trauma injury in rabbits with magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

：Objective To observe theeffects of HBO therapy on cerebral edema, blood-brain barrier and neural behavioralscores, induced by brain trauma injury in rabbits with magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI).Methods Twenty-four rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: the sham operationgroup (n =5), with a skull window of only 8 mm in diameter; the control group (n = 10) ,sustained with shock injury (shock intensity of 0.2 Mpa) following skull fenestration; theHBO group(n=90), also sustained with shock injury following skull fenestration, but withHBO treatment. Following the development of the model, MRI scans were made at 6th, 24th,72nd, and 120th hours to calculate the volume of cerebral edema, apparent diffusioncoefficient ( ADC), and neurological behavioral scores. Results After HBO treatment,neurological behavioral scores of the HBO group improved significantly, when compared withthat of the control group (P＜ 0. 05). MRI showed thatabnormality was not noted in the sham operation group. Before treatment, significantcerebral edema and damage of blood-brain barrier could be seen in both the HBO group andthe control group. However, following HBO treatment, cerebral edema and blood-brainbarrier damage of the HBO group recovered more rapidly, when a comparison was made betweenthe groups (P＜0. 01) and ADC value of the HBO group was lower than that of thecontrol group (P＜0. 05). Conclusions HBO could hasten recovery of the blood-brain barrier damageinduced by cerebral damage with hydraulic impetus, reduce cerebral edema, significantlydecrease symptoms of brain injury, and reduce disability rate. Key words: Hyperbaric oxygen; Brain trauma injury; Magnetic resonanceimaging; Cerebral edema; Blood brain barrier