Breathing through the rectum: although the idea seems far-fetched, it could nevertheless become a real emergency route for people with respiratory failure. This idea has its source in animals, with certain fish and turtles being able to absorb oxygen through their intestines when their gills or lungs no longer function, thus extending their ability to survive in hypoxia.
Is a similar mechanism possible in humans? This is the question that Japanese scientists, winners of one of the famous Ig-Nobel prizes which reward research that is at first glance absurd, but of general interest, wanted to answer. Their study, reported by Forbes, analyzed the tolerance of a method called “enteral ventilation via the anus”, in other words administration of oxygen via the rectum.
Some bloating
Previous research had already shown, in mice and pigs, that an injection of oxygenated liquid into the rectum helped increase oxygen levels in the blood. The scientists therefore wanted to carry out the experiment on humans. Firstly, they wanted to know if our body can tolerate such an injection: 27 healthy male volunteers therefore received, via the rectum, between 25 and 1,500 milliliters of a non-oxygenated liquid, for about an hour.
The results were encouraging. Although some minimal effects were observed in patients (bloating and intestinal discomfort), no serious adverse effects were observed. The study therefore demonstrates that the administration of liquid by this route is tolerable, the first step before testing the version containing oxygen. This approach could prove valuable in emergency contexts where the patient’s respiratory resources are insufficient.
However, researchers have not yet established how much oxygen a human intestine can absorb, and whether this amount would be enough to compensate for a respiratory deficiency. Additionally, it is unclear what the long-term effects of such a device are on the intestinal mucosa. It will then be necessary to take into account the possible reluctance of patients, and adapt the medical equipment of hospitals to this method.
The Japanese study has the merit of broadening our understanding of the medical field and shedding light on unsuspected physiological possibilities. If future trials prove successful and confirm that this pathway can actually oxygenate the blood, medicine would have a new tool that could potentially save lives.
