How can oxygen therapy help patients with brain surgery?

Oxygen therapy for patients following brain surgery is a cutting-edge and novel method of helping them recover faster. Like any other part of our body, a substantial amount of O2 is required by the brain to heal in the event of any neurological injury. A critical fall in its level in the brain can lead to a decrease in cognitive functions.

On the other hand, an oxygen-rich level helps preserve the majority of brain functions in patients who have undergone neurological surgeries.

The supply of 100% oxygen to the brain for the healing and preservation of the organ after any neurological surgery has garnered a good bit of attention from the medical community. It is now on its way to becoming a viable and compulsory procedure in neuroscientific research.

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What is oxygen therapy?

O2 therapy or hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing in the gas inside a pressurized chamber. The oxygen supplied in the chamber is 100% pure and medical grade, and it is released at a pressure level that is around 1.5–2.5 times higher than the normal atmospheric pressure.

The expected outcome of the procedure is to allow the flow of blood to be rich in oxygen so that it can heal and repair the damaged cells at a faster pace than usual. The higher oxygenation of the blood is also considered to lend it a neuroprotective ability, which may help minimize the damage of an injury to the brain tissues.

The relation between oxygen and the brain ties up the factor of faster recovery of cells that might be at risk of dying, thus contributing to bringing back the efficacy of neurological functions. Oxygen therapy is associated with better neurological performance when it comes to cognition, sleeping, or overcoming severe headaches.

HBOT is also estimated to create new blood capillaries around a damaged spot in the brain. This, in turn, helps promote the buildup of new capillary networks, pulling the flow of fresh blood to the area.

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How does oxygen therapy for brain injury work?

O2 therapy for a number of neurological conditions (Image via Radboudumc)

HBOT is the procedure of inhaling 100% medical-grade oxygen in a specific pressurized chamber. The chamber may be designed to cater to a single person or multiple people, depending on the requirement.

Pure oxygen is supplied through a hood or mask to an individual inside the chamber while they are monitored by experts. Multiple sessions may be required over a period of several weeks, and the exact amount or pressure of oxygen will depend on the type of injury that is being treated.

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What ailments can be treated by oxygen therapy?

The current success rates of HBOT have determined a wide spectrum of conditions that it can treat. Following is a list of some of the disorders that it can provide help with:

• Brain injury
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• PTSD
• Osteomyelitis
• Decompression illness
• Gangrene
• Necrosis
• Soft tissue injuries (such as deep or open wounds and ulcers)
• Burns
• Bone fractures

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Several leading experts and neurosurgeons are currently recommending post-operative hyperbaric oxygen therapy so that patients can have a fast recovery rate. The method shows a great success curve in treating brain injuries. Furthermore, it has also exhibited outstanding results in the areas of enhancing cognition, motor skills, and memory. This makes oxygen therapy a highly efficient mode of recovery for patients.