Jupiter Medical Center’s Clinical Research Department has opened a new clinical trial for traumatic brain injury patients, under the leadership of Barry Miskin, M.D., Chief of Surgery and Medical Director of Wound Care and Hyperbarics.
Under the guidance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the new clinical trial will test the use of HBO to determine if oxygenation can stimulate the healing process of brain injuries. Patients will receive 40 to 120 HBO treatments contingent upon their progress. Each patient will undergo 5 times-a-week HBO treatments to 1.5 ATA (atmospheres absolute). Progress is determined based on blood flow results from a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) scan and cognitive tests. To be eligible for the trial, patients must be diagnosed with brain injury as demonstrated by loss of consciousness due to the injury that is a minimum of 1 year old.
Researchers at Jupiter Medical Center anticipate that using this data will develop better treatments and tests that are more tailored, or individualized, than current treatments for patients with TBI. The overall goals of this clinical trial are a decrease in symptoms, improved cerebral blood flow and neurological improvement in patients with TBI.
