Hydrogen Flush Protects Donor Livers from Transplant Damage
Hydrogen Flush After Cold Storage as a New End-Ischemic Ex Vivo Treatment for Liver Grafts Against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Ichiro Tamaki, Koichiro Hata, Yusuke Okamura, Yermek Nigmet, Hirofumi Hirao, Toyonari Kubota, Osamu Inamoto, Jiro Kusakabe, Toru Goto, Tetsuya Tajima, Junichi Yoshikawa, Hirokazu Tanaka, Tatsuaki Tsuruyama, Rene H. Tolba, Shinji Uemoto
- Journal
- Liver Transplantation
- Year
- 2018
- DOI
- 10.1002/lt.25326
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
- Body System
- Hepatic
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
TL;DR
A new method called hydrogen flush after cold storage (HyFACS) significantly reduces damage to liver organs preserved for transplant by flushing them with a hydrogen solution.
Key Finding
Hydrogen flush after cold storage significantly reduced liver damage markers and preserved organ function in rat livers, with benefits varying depending on whether the hydrogen solution was delivered through the portal vein, hepatic artery, or both.
Summary
Researchers tested a new method called hydrogen flush after cold storage (HyFACS) to protect liver organs from damage during transplantation. They stored rat livers in cold solution for 24 hours, then flushed them with hydrogen-enriched solution before transplant. Compared to untreated livers, the hydrogen-treated livers showed less damage, better function, and reduced signs of cellular injury caused by oxygen deprivation and restoration.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research conducted only in rats, so it cannot yet inform human health decisions. The findings suggest hydrogen may help protect donor organs during transplantation, but human clinical trials would be needed to determine if this approach is safe and effective for transplant patients.
Abstract (excerpt)
Cold storage (CS) remains the gold standard for organ preservation worldwide, although it is inevitably associated with ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). Molecular hydrogen (H2) is well known to have antioxidative properties. However, its unfavorable features, ie, inflammability, low solubility…