SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Neurocritical and Neurohospitalist Care
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1645028
Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Postoperative Patients with Cerebral Aneurysms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Provisionally accepted
- Civil Aviation General Hospital, Beijing, China
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BackgroundSurgical management of intracranial aneurysms frequently results in postoperative neurological impairments and diminished quality of life. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has emerged as a potential adjunctive treatment to enhance neurological recovery and functional outcomes; however, its effectiveness remains debated.ObjectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of HBOT on clinical outcomes, neurological improvement, functional independence, and health-related quality of life in postoperative intracranial aneurysm patients.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing HBOT combined with routine postoperative care versus routine care alone were identified through comprehensive database searches of PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP up to April 2025. Data were analyzed using fixed- or random-effects models based on heterogeneity. Risk ratios (RR) and standardized mean differences (SMD), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), were calculated as summary measures.ResultsA total of 11 RCTs, encompassing 2,268 patients, were analyzed. HBOT significantly improved clinical treatment efficacy (RR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.11–1.28, P < 0.00001) and neurological function (SMD = −0.63, 95% CI: −0.78 to −0.48, P < 0.00001). Functional independence also improved markedly, demonstrated by higher scores in Activities of Daily Living (ADL; SMD = 1.24), Barthel Index (SMD = 1.00), and SF-36 total scores (SMD = 1.32). All outcomes showed statistically significant improvements with minimal heterogeneity (I² = 0%). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results.ConclusionAdjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly enhances neurological recovery, functional outcomes, and overall quality of life in patients following intracranial aneurysm surgery. These results advocate for the clinical adoption of HBOT; nevertheless, additional high-quality, multicenter studies are necessary to confirm sustained long-term effects.
Keywords: Intracranial Aneurysm, postoperative recovery, Neurological function, Meta-analysis, hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Received: 12 Jun 2025; Accepted: 12 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Gao, Sun and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Guozhong Wang, Civil Aviation General Hospital, Beijing, China
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