Hyperbaric oxygen

alan · 08-01-2002, 06:36 PM

Was it ever finally decided that hyperbaric oxygen treatment of fresh SCI was useless? I didn't get that - apparently the chamber was out of order or something when I got flown to Shockarama (1981), so it wasn't even an option.

Snowman · 08-01-2002, 07:46 PM

I know our first client at Project Walk, Mike Thomas, was put in a hyperbaric chamber when he was first injured. He was injured in Cuba and they didn't have any steriods or other drugs to give him for the swelling, so they used what the Russians had used for SCI's which was the hyperbaric chamber. Was this a factor in his being able to walk today? I don't know.

Eric Harness,CSCS
Project Walk

chasb · 08-01-2002, 07:54 PM

I had tried hb treatments within a year (of my injury). I had heard that
it might help. I didn't notice any difference. It was worth a try at the
time though, in my opinion.

etexley · 08-02-2002, 10:21 AM

Snowman,

Do you know the specifics of your patient's initial injury??? i.e. level and ASIA classification? Contussion, compression, burst, hemorrhage? The specifics of the treatment??? i.e. how long, how soon after?

From the way I understand complete spinal cord injury, results like that even on one patient are a 50 thumbs up. It's sort of like trying to call Melissa Holley's recovery a fluke...it seems to me the chances are beyond a reasonable doubt that it was the macrophages that helped her. Now, as to the repeatability of the results, I don't have any ideas about the outcomes of the next set of patients that they have treated. But it seems to me almost certain that it was the macrophages that made her recover.

Eric Texley

alan · 08-02-2002, 06:29 PM

Chasb, I'd always heard that hyperbaric treatments had to be given within the first few hours post-injury (increased blood oxygenation helped healing, or prevented or reduced damage, or something like that), so I never explored it later.

Considering how good a job I did bursting my C-5, probably nothing would have helped except for a treatment that promoted regeneration. They were quite impressed with my fracture when they saw my initial x-rays. What can I say - that Soviet submarine I stopped with my head was hard! :-)

vgrafen · 08-03-2002, 10:29 AM

I'm intrigued: what IS the status of Mellissa Holly? To what degree has she recovered? Can't find much here; what have you heard?

vgrafen

dahliasinbloom · 08-03-2002, 01:03 PM

But I just completed two weeks of hyperbaric chamber treatments 4 months ago after having Dr. Kao's surgery. It was a long surgery, 12 hours - lots of scarring and compression. Anyway, I felt like I was fully recovered from the whole ordeal within two months. And the scar on my back looks better than the original scar that had been there for 20 years (partly, I'm sure, due to the good work of the Dr.) I can't say for sure, but I betcha the hyperbaric chamber treatments are the reason I healed so quickly.

Chris Chappell · 08-03-2002, 01:52 PM

Vgraf,

For what its worth I last saw Melissa in March. She told me that she is able to move her legs (aduction, abduction) and has some quadriceps as well as has good sensation.

Her main focus is college (Arkansas) and, from what I could tell, doesn't spend a lot of time working on rehabilitation. She really isn't, imo, that aggressive about recovery but does offer support concerning fundraising, etc.

Just my $.02

FYI, Craig Hospital, most likely, will be offering the macrophage trial/therapy here in CO sometime in 2003. For acutes initially (8 weeks or less) but, depending upon results possibly chronics. Either way, with Dr. Scott Falci involved (top-notch neurosurgeon) and the Craig / Proneuron players who knows what the not too distant future holds?

Cross your fingers.

Onward and Upward!

Snowman · 08-04-2002, 11:01 AM

I didn't want anyone to think I had forgotten this thread...I'm waiting for Mike to get back from his vactation so I can ask him the specifics about his hyperbaric treatment.

Eric Harness,CSCS
Project Walk

08-01-2002, 06:36 PM	#1
alan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 6,169	Hyperbaric oxygen Was it ever finally decided that hyperbaric oxygen treatment of fresh SCI was useless? I didn't get that - apparently the chamber was out of order or something when I got flown to Shockarama (1981), so it wasn't even an option.

08-03-2002, 10:29 AM	#6
vgrafen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: chico, ca, usa Posts: 2,048	Hey, Eric I'm intrigued: what IS the status of Mellissa Holly? To what degree has she recovered? Can't find much here; what have you heard? vgrafen

08-03-2002, 01:03 PM	#7
dahliasinbloom Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: California Posts: 347	I don't know for sure if it's useful But I just completed two weeks of hyperbaric chamber treatments 4 months ago after having Dr. Kao's surgery. It was a long surgery, 12 hours - lots of scarring and compression. Anyway, I felt like I was fully recovered from the whole ordeal within two months. And the scar on my back looks better than the original scar that had been there for 20 years (partly, I'm sure, due to the good work of the Dr.) I can't say for sure, but I betcha the hyperbaric chamber treatments are the reason I healed so quickly.

08-04-2002, 11:01 AM	#9
Snowman Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Carlsbad, Ca USA Posts: 919	Waiting... I didn't want anyone to think I had forgotten this thread...I'm waiting for Mike to get back from his vactation so I can ask him the specifics about his hyperbaric treatment. Eric Harness,CSCS Project Walk

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08-01-2002, 07:46 PM	#2
Snowman Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Carlsbad, Ca USA Posts: 919	I know our first client at Project Walk, Mike Thomas, was put in a hyperbaric chamber when he was first injured. He was injured in Cuba and they didn't have any steriods or other drugs to give him for the swelling, so they used what the Russians had used for SCI's which was the hyperbaric chamber. Was this a factor in his being able to walk today? I don't know. Eric Harness,CSCS Project Walk

08-01-2002, 07:54 PM	#3
chasb Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,283	I had tried hb treatments within a year (of my injury). I had heard that it might help. I didn't notice any difference. It was worth a try at the time though, in my opinion.

08-02-2002, 10:21 AM	#4
etexley Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Boca Raton, Florida, USA Posts: 1,446	Snowman, Do you know the specifics of your patient's initial injury??? i.e. level and ASIA classification? Contussion, compression, burst, hemorrhage? The specifics of the treatment??? i.e. how long, how soon after? From the way I understand complete spinal cord injury, results like that even on one patient are a 50 thumbs up. It's sort of like trying to call Melissa Holley's recovery a fluke...it seems to me the chances are beyond a reasonable doubt that it was the macrophages that helped her. Now, as to the repeatability of the results, I don't have any ideas about the outcomes of the next set of patients that they have treated. But it seems to me almost certain that it was the macrophages that made her recover. Eric Texley

08-02-2002, 06:29 PM	#5
alan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 6,169	Chasb, I'd always heard that hyperbaric treatments had to be given within the first few hours post-injury (increased blood oxygenation helped healing, or prevented or reduced damage, or something like that), so I never explored it later. Considering how good a job I did bursting my C-5, probably nothing would have helped except for a treatment that promoted regeneration. They were quite impressed with my fracture when they saw my initial x-rays. What can I say - that Soviet submarine I stopped with my head was hard! :-)

08-03-2002, 01:52 PM	#8
Chris Chappell Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7,035	Vgraf, For what its worth I last saw Melissa in March. She told me that she is able to move her legs (aduction, abduction) and has some quadriceps as well as has good sensation. Her main focus is college (Arkansas) and, from what I could tell, doesn't spend a lot of time working on rehabilitation. She really isn't, imo, that aggressive about recovery but does offer support concerning fundraising, etc. Just my $.02 FYI, Craig Hospital, most likely, will be offering the macrophage trial/therapy here in CO sometime in 2003. For acutes initially (8 weeks or less) but, depending upon results possibly chronics. Either way, with Dr. Scott Falci involved (top-notch neurosurgeon) and the Craig / Proneuron players who knows what the not too distant future holds? Cross your fingers. Onward and Upward!