Assistant Professor College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is used for treatment of neurological diseases such as ischemic spinal cord injury (SCI) and in post-operative management of intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) surgery, however, its safety and efficacy is unknown. Here, the effects of HBOT on postoperative recovery of dogs with severe SCI were retrospectively studied. Medical records of dogs with paraplegia caused by thoracolumbar IVDH and treated with decompressive surgery from 2014-2017 were reviewed. Signalment, onset and duration of paraplegia prior to surgery, neurologic outcomes including days to regain sensation (DTS), motor function (DTM), ambulation (DTA) and voluntary urination were evaluated between the dogs treated with or without post-surgical HBOT. Complications including hypothermia and seizures during HBOT were recorded. A total of 76 dogs were included. Fifty-six dogs were paraplegic with intact pain perception and 20 dogs lacked pain perception. Thirty-one of 56 dogs and 16 of 20 dogs, respectively, were treated with HBOT. In dogs with intact pain perception, DTM and DTA were 3.22±1.8 and 8.05±3.91 with HBOT and 2.48±1.91 and 7.33±5.19 without HBOT, respectively. In dogs without pain perception, DTS were significantly reduced to 2±0.75 with HBOT compared to 6±5.65 without HBOT. There was no significant change in other outcomes. Hypothermia was not noted but 1 dog developed seizures during HBOT. In conclusion, HBOT is a potentially efficacious and safe post-operative rehabilitation for certain SCI patients. To further evaluate this therapeutic possibility, it is necessary to understand true benefits of HBOT using well-controlled, blinded and randomized trials.
