top of page
  • Writer's pictureHMI

BRAIN WOUND UPDATE #10: – AVIV Clinic Press Release: Review of Scientific Basis of HBOT for TBI


Aviv Clinics Highlights New Literature Review Sharing the Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aviv Clinics, one of the most advanced brain clinics in the world, shares the results of a new comprehensive literature review that shows hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) should be recommended as an effective therapy for patients suffering with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Chronic mild traumatic brain injury occurs when symptoms from a mild traumatic brain injury are prolonged and last for more than six months.


The literature review, The efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in traumatic brain injury patients: literature review and clinical guidelines, was conducted by the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research at Shamir Medical Center, Tel Aviv University and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s neurosurgery department, and published in the official journal of the European Society of Medicine, Medical Research Archives.


The literature review evaluated articles and human clinical trials data from 1969 to April 2023 that provided detailed information on the type of HBOT treatment and clinical outcomes. The articles were categorized into acute-subacute traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic brain injury and evaluated by HBOT experts and esteemed research leaders Dr. Shai Efrati, director of the Sagol Center and co-founder of Aviv Scientific; Dr. Amir Hadanny, chief medical officer at Aviv Scientific and chief medical research officer at the Sagol Center; and Dr. Joseph Maroon, vice chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.


The literature review concluded that HBOT should be recommended for chronic traumatic brain injury for a selected group of patients suffering from prolonged post-concussion syndrome (PPCS) who have clear evidence of metabolic dysfunctional brain regions and who have been properly evaluated by standardized cognitive tests and functional brain imaging. Evidence involved in the review, including seven randomized controlled trials and six prospective studies, suggested significant improvement in cognitive function, symptoms and quality of life in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury.


For acute moderate-severe TBI, the review concluded that HBOT may be recommended as a treatment but explained that further studies are needed to both evaluate outcomes and determine the optimal treatment protocols. Evidence in the review, including nine randomized controlled trials, one meta-analysis and two prospective studies evaluating the clinical effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients suffering from acute and subacute traumatic brain injuries, showed mortality was significantly reduced but mixed results for favorable functional outcomes in survivors.


“This literature review scoured an immense amount of data related to HBOT as a therapy for traumatic brain injury, and the evidence that HBOT is effective against chronic traumatic brain injury is clear,” said Dr. Amir Hadanny, Chief Medical Officer at Aviv Scientific and Chief Medical Research Officer at the Sagol Center. “When looking at the comprehensive data over a larger stretch of time, we’re seeing the quality of studies have improved, and it’s exciting to see HBOT research heading further in the right direction. Many people are dealing with symptoms of chronic traumatic brain injury, and the current rehabilitation methods are limited in their efficacy. The science behind how HBOT can be effective is evident, and there is hope for those who are suffering.”


HBOT is a medical treatment in which 100% oxygen is administered at an increased environmental pressure. Aviv’s unique HBOT protocol, the hyperoxic-hypoxic paradox, fluctuates oxygen levels during treatment and is being used to repair and regenerate damaged brain tissue in several types of brain injuries including traumatic brain injury, stroke, PTSD, long COVID and age-related cognitive decline among others. Previous studies from the research team at the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research have demonstrated the efficacy of HBOT as a treatment for persistent post-concussion syndrome (PPCS), suggesting that HBOT improves cognitive function, behavioral function and quality of life in both adult and pediatric patients suffering from PPCS at the chronic stage, even years after their injury.


Aviv Clinics offers an advanced treatment program with a multidisciplinary team of medical experts providing patients with top-line care and the opportunity to improve their quality of life. The Aviv Medical Program includes an in-depth assessment of the patient’s physical and neurological condition to assess the fit for the program. For patients that meet the criteria, the Aviv team will then prepare a comprehensive treatment schedule combining HBOT with personal cognitive training, and physical and dietary coaching, for a holistic approach to patient health. The HBOT sessions are conducted in state-of-the-art multiplace chambers that are comfortable, safe and allow for medical staff to accompany patients during the treatment. The elevated pressure in the HBOT chamber creates an optimal oxygenation condition, ultimately encouraging damaged brain and body tissues to regenerate and heal.


The full study is available here. For more on Aviv Clinics, visit aviv-clinics.com


Aviv Clinics is the leader in the research and treatment of age-related cognitive and functional decline and novel applications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to maximize human performance. Based on an exclusive partnership with the world’s largest hyperbaric medicine and research facility, the Sagol Center at Shamir Medical Center in Israel, Aviv is introducing a global network of clinics delivering the most effective evidence-based treatment of the aging related decline – the Aviv Medical Program. The three-month regimen, designed to improve the aging-related decline in healthy adults, was developed based on over a decade of research and thousands of patients treated worldwide under the scientific leadership of Shai Efrati, M.D., chair of Aviv Scientific’s Medical Advisory Board and director of the Sagol Center.

bottom of page