An unconventional method of delivering oxygen rectally, known as “enteral ventilation,” is advancing through human clinical trials, according to a study.
U.S. and Japanese scientists suggest that a “butt breathing” technique might eventually benefit people who have lung problems.
Patients with severe respiratory failure often need mechanical ventilation to survive, but these therapies can cause further lung injury,” the study, which was published in the journal Med on Monday, noted. “Scientists are exploring a new method called ‘enteral ventilation’ to deliver oxygen through the intestine, which could give the lungs a chance to rest and heal.”
The technique involves an enema-like process to deliver super-oxygenated liquid to the large intestine for absorption into the bloodstream.
This study evaluated the safety of this method in humans for the first time, using a special liquid called perfluorodecalin with exceptional oxygen-carrying ability,” the study noted.
During a trial with 27 healthy men between the ages of 20 to 45, participants received a dose of non-oxygenated perfluorodecalin through their rectums over a period of an hour.
According to the study, participants experienced mild gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal bloating and pain, but no serious side effects.
The authors of the study said they discovered that administering perfluorodecalin through the anus was “safe and well tolerated.”
Scientists said the development paves the way for future studies to see if the technique can help patients with respiratory failure.
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This is the first human data, and the results are limited solely to demonstrating the safety of the procedure and not its effectiveness,” Takanori Takebe, MD, PhD, an expert at Cincinnati Children’s Research Horizons and the University of Osaka in Japan, said in a statement shared online. “But now that we have established tolerance, the next step will be to evaluate how effective the process is for delivering oxygen to the bloodstream.”
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