Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Raffaele Pilla, Cesar Borlongan, and other researchers at University of South Florida are doing important scientific research into brain injuries, attempting to stimulate cell growth in rat’s brains by using pressurized oxygen in hyperbaric chambers. The scientists hope that their research will offer new insights into how damaged brain tissue can be repaired. If successful, their research could help Miami brain injury patients as well as patients across the country.
The University of South Florida research is exciting because it suggests that in the future oxygen may be able to help patients heal more fully from brain trauma. According to the research, it is possible that stem cells which already exist in the brain and which can become healthy brain cells can be stimulated to heal the brain using the method developed by the scientists. Use of the techniques on humans is still some time away, but eventually the research could help those who have suffered brain damage due to Miami car accidents, strokes, and other forms of trauma.
Early research and experiments on rats seems promising. Rats are placed in hyperbaric chambers and made to breathe in oxygen at high pressure. This pushes the oxygen into the tissues and bloodstream, where it may be able to stimulate the recovery process of damaged brain tissue. Hyperbaric treatments are already used for a variety of injuries, including anemia, Miami burn injuries, and other wounds. However, the USF researchers are studying the use of the method for brain injuries. A 2010 U.S. Veterans Administration report concluded that hyperbaric treatments should be studied further in relation to brain injuries, but the federal government still considers hyperbaric treatments for brain injury to be experimental.
Researchers at USF Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair have been given grants to do further testing and to figure out the specifics of hyperbaric treatments for brain injury patients. In addition to trying to determine the efficiency of the treatments, researchers also hope to determine what doses are needed for brain injury patients and how soon after injury the treatment must be administered. Since too much oxygen can kill brain cells, it is important to determine exact dosage and the right sequence of treatment.
Cesar Borlongan, who heads the research, has spent much of his life trying to determine how to reverse and repair brain damage and has focused on how to use the body’s stem cells to prevent and reverse brain damage. His early research to help stroke victims is already undergoing clinical trials. In those trials, patients are given genetically modified bone-marrow stem cells, which behave like brain cells and activate the stem cells in the brain to repair tissue damage.
If you have been injured and wish to pursue quality medical care, you may wish to speak with a Miami personal injury attorney. Under Florida law, you may be eligible for compensation to cover medical costs, home care, rehabilitation costs, and other expenses related to your injuries. Your case may be worth more than you realize, and consulting with an experienced Miami personal injury attorney can help you understand your options.
If you have suffered a Miami brain injury in a car accident or another type of accident, contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a free accident consultation. The legal team at the Flaxman Law Group have successfully worked with thousands of South Florida personal injury and brain injury patients. Contact the Flaxman Law Group today to find out what the legal team can do in your case.