A joint research group from Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Nagoya University announced that they have demonstrated the effectiveness of the "intestinal ventilation method" in a large animal model (pig) that is similar in size to humans.
While the number of patients with respiratory failure due to respiratory infections such as recent coronavirus infections is increasing, the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which is used for the most severe respiratory failure, is increasing. It requires advanced medical equipment and human resources, and is fraught with complications.In situations like pandemics, the reality of unsalvageable human lives has come to light, and new, safer and easier respiratory support therapies have been eagerly desired in the medical field.
Our group has long focused on the fact that aquatic organisms such as loaches take in oxygen through the intestines in a low-oxygen environment, ``intestinal respiration''. I have reported something.This time, we tried to further verify the effectiveness of the "intestinal ventilation method" using a large animal respiratory failure model that reproduces a more human-like condition.
Liquid oxygen perfluorocarbon was administered into the intestinal tract through a catheter in hypoxemia-induced pigs.After that, each blood parameter was evaluated, and the effect of intestinal ventilation was examined.
As a result, in addition to the oxygenation effect (improvement of hypoxia) during intestinal ventilation, the ventilation effect (reduction of carbon dioxide) was also recognized.Although there are various blood circulations in the intestinal tract, we also found that intestinal ventilation resulted in oxygenation via multiple venous circulations out of the intestinal tract.In addition, no serious side effects were observed in this process, and we were able to demonstrate for the first time in the world that intestinal ventilation brings clear efficacy and safety in hypoxemic large animals.
If the results of this research can be applied clinically, even patients with respiratory failure, which have been difficult to save in the past, will be able to receive epoch-making treatment using completely new respiratory support therapy that does not depend on their own lung function. It is expected.
Paper information:[iScience] Enteral liquid ventilation oxygenates a hypoxic pig model
