Negative Pressure Device Shows Potential to Treat Traumatic
Brain Injury When the brain is injured by blunt force,
explosion, or other trauma, the cells at the impact site are
irreversibly damaged and die. In the area surrounding the sound,
injured cells release toxic substances that cause the brain to
swell and restrict blood flow and oxygen levels. Researchers at
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have found that the size and
extent of damaged tissue in traumatic brain injury patients can
be reduced by using a new device to prevent cell death. The
technology, tested in rats, is called mechanical tissue
resuscitation (MTR) and uses negative pressure to create an
environment that fosters cell survival. In the study, a
bioengineered material matrix was placed directly on the injured
area in the brain and attached to a flexible tube connected to a
microcomputer vacuum pump. The pump delivered a carefully
controlled vacuum to the injured brain for 72 hours, drawing
fluid from the injury site. The brain injuries