Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries: Insights from Nearly Five Decades of Evidence with Single-Center Experience.

Background

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been proposed as an adjunctive treatment for spinal cord injuries (SCIs) to mitigate a secondary injury and enhance neurological recovery. While the preclinical evidence is consistently supportive, clinical data remain heterogeneous across traumatic (TSCI) and non-traumatic (NTSCI) etiologies.

Methods

A hybrid systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and included an illustrative single-center clinical case. PubMed, OVID Medline, and Google Scholar were searched for studies published between 1978 and 2024. Due to methodological heterogeneity, qualitative synthesis was performed.

Results

Fifty studies comprising 1102 patients were included. Neurological improvement was more frequently observed in incomplete injuries and when HBOT was initiated early.

Conclusions

HBOT may represent a useful adjunct in selected SCI patients, although standardized protocols and controlled trials are required to better define its role.