Phase 1-2 Study of Hyperbaric Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)have abnormal findings including hemorrhagic cortical contusions or petechial or foci of altered signal that represents white matter injury. MRI, CT or SPECT scans showing changes consistent with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)and or medical history of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)as evidenced by medical records will be screened for treatment with Hyperbaric. Each patient will undergo 5 times-a-week Hyperbaric treatments to 1.5 atmospheres absolute(ATA).

Each patient will have a SPECT scan, cognitive assessment, and physician evaluation prior to first treatment and after 40, 80, and 120 treatments to document progress of the treatment (Harch et al, 2012). Cognitive assessment will include the Trail Making Test Parts A and B. Patient will be seen by physician to assess level of disability at each interval; the United States Department of Veteran Affairs' Evaluation of Cognitive Impairment and Subjective Symptoms (VAECI) (2012) tool will be utilized during the physician's evaluation as an objective measure of the patient's level of disability.

Hyperbaric treatments may be adjusted for patient comfort. If the SPECT scan, cognitive assessment and physician evaluation show improvement after 40 treatments, another 40 Hyperbaric(HBO)treatments will be administered. Treatments will be discontinued after a 40 session interval if the SPECT scan, cognitive assessment and physician evaluation show no improvement. The patient will also have a SPECT scan and cognitive assessment follow up 3 months after final Hyperbaric(HBO) treatment.The time points for evaluation of cognitive status and single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) scan will be at at 40,80,120 Hyperbaric(HBO)treatments. Treatment will occur 5 times per week for approximately 24 weeks with another follow up 3 months post treatment. This will provide all data points for outcome measure.