An experimental study published in the official journal of The Congress of Neurological Surgeons suggests that the mechanical tissue resuscitation provided by a controlled application of vacuum pressure has shown promising contributions to the limitation of tissue damage following traumatic brain injury. This deduction was based on the results of the study conducted by co-investigators Dr. Louis Argenta and Dr. Michael Morykwas of the Wake Forest University of Health Sciences in North Carolina.
During the study, the researchers induced localized traumatic brain injury in the test animals and subsequently applied mild negative pressure, or vacuum, over the area of the brain that sustained the injury. Different levels of pressure were used and evaluated during the study, and another variable included the different application times. Results showed that there are certainly benefits to applying controlled vacuum pressure after the subject sustains TBI and these include the reduction of the area of brain contusion and reduced bleeding. Additionally, the affected brains also appeared to be more normal looking on MRI scans that were conducted during the tests. Another promising results was the survival of all the test animals that received continuous vacuum application for five days, whereas 50% of the animals that received only a three-day treatment died. The procedure was also apparently safe and did not produce brain deformation or induce seizures.
Both Dr. Argenta and Dr. Morykwas said that the research was conducted in an effort to find a way to reduce extent of damage that is experienced after a traumatic brain injury. TBI has a standing reputation of resulting to disability, brain cell degeneration, or even death due to limited treatment options. They are hopeful that the results that they have achieved with mechanical tissue resuscitation such as a significant reduction in both brain tissue loss and hemorrhage injury Wood warrants further investigation into the process.
