Effects of hyperbaric oxygenation therapy on symptomatic pneumocephalus

Abstract

Background

Pneumocephalus (PNC) is defined as a pathological collection of gas within the cranial cavity. The authors studied the effects of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO2) therapy on a group of patients with PNC, comparing them with a control group to determine the relative impact on pneumocephalus volume, clinical symptoms, and duration of hospitalization.

Methods

Twenty-four patients with PNC treated at our hospital were consecutively studied. These patients were divided into a treated group (n=13) and a control group (n=11). Thirteen patients (treated group) were treated with HBO2 therapy sessions in a monoplace hyperbaric chamber at 2.5 atmospheres with 100% oxygen concentration. The control group was treated with normobaric oxygenation.

Results

Clinical improvement was seen in all patients. In the treated group, a decrease of the gas bubble was observed on the computerized tomography scan after each session of HBO2. The treated group also experienced a lower rate of meningitis compared with the control group. The length of hospital stay was significantly higher in the control group compared with the treated group.

Conclusions

HBO2 therapy in selective cases may lead to clinical and radiological improvement in patients with PNC.

Keywords:

• cerebrospinal fluid leakage
• head injury
• meningitis

Authors’ contributions

AFA, EGF, WSP, and RLA carried out the design of the study, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafted the manuscript. MP participated in the design of the study and interpretation of data and drafted the manuscript. MJT participated in the design of the study and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure

The authors warrant that the article is original, is not under consideration by any other journal, and has not previously been published. Furthermore, the authors warrant that all investigations reported in the publication were conducted in conformity with the recommendations of the Declaration of Helsinki. The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.