Hydrogen Therapy Shows Promise for Intestinal Damage During Emergency Surgery
- Authors
- Takahiro Yamanaka, Tadashi Matsuoka, Koichiro Homma, Tomoyoshi Tamura, Sayuri Suzuki, Shohei Suzuki, Daiki Kaito, Jo Yoshizawa, Keitaro Yajima, Soichiro Ono, Katsuya Maeshima, Eiji Kobayashi, Motoaki Sano, Junichi Sasaki
- Journal
- Biomedicines
- Year
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.3390/biomedicines14020455
- Study Type
- Pig
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Hemorrhagic Shock
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Intra-aortic irrigation with hydrogen-dissolved saline during REBOA delivered measurable hydrogen to the intestine in a swine hemorrhagic shock model.
Key Finding
Hydrogen molecules successfully reached the intestines when delivered through intra-aortic irrigation during REBOA use, with hydrogen concentrations detected in the portal vein ranging from 0.018 to 0.224 mg/L depending on the bleeding scenario.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen-infused salt water could be delivered to the intestines of pigs during a medical emergency procedure called REBOA, which temporarily stops blood flow to treat severe bleeding. Researchers injected hydrogen-dissolved saline through a catheter and measured hydrogen levels in blood vessels draining the intestines. They found measurable amounts of hydrogen reached the intestines under different bleeding scenarios, suggesting this could be a new way to deliver protective substances during emergency hemorrhage treatment.
Practical Takeaway
This is a proof-of-concept study in pigs only, so it does not directly apply to human hydrogen water consumption. The research explores a specialized emergency medical technique rather than oral hydrogen water. While it suggests hydrogen can be delivered to organs during certain medical procedures, much more research is needed before any clinical applications in humans, and this finding has no implications for consumer hydrogen water products.
Abstract
Background: The use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for hemorrhagic shock in the torso has become increasingly common as a bridge to definitive hemostasis. Hydrogen molecules, distributed throughout the bloodstream, alleviate ischemic injury but cannot reach ischemic organs during REBOA use. This study investigates whether intra-aortic irrigation with hydrogen-dissolved saline under REBOA use delivers hydrogen to the intestine in a swine hemorrhagic shock model. Methods: We induced volume-regulated hemorrhagic shock in a 40 kg female swine. Following this, hydrogen-dissolved saline irrigation was initiated through an intra-aortic catheter positioned distal to the REBOA balloon. Hydrogen concentration in the portal vein was determined in four models: controlled hemorrhagic shock with full REBOA inflation during the standard occlusion time, uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock with liver injury and full REBOA inflation during the extended occlusion time, uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock with liver injury and partial REBOA inflation during the extended occlusion time, and as the control model, controlled hemorrhagic shock with full REBOA inflation during the standard occlusion time with normal saline irrigation without hydrogen. Results: Hydrogen concentration in the portal vein was found to be 0.224 mg/L (13.998%) in the controlled hemorrhagic shock model with full REBOA inflation, 0.049 mg/L (3.063%) in the uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock model with liver injury and full REBOA inflation, 0.018 mg/L (1.125%) in the uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock model with liver injury and partial REBOA inflation, and 0.002 mg/L (0.015%) in the control model. These results demonstrate the presence of hydrogen in the portal vein under different REBOA applications. Conclusions: Increased hydrogen concentration in the portal vein indicated that hydrogen was delivered to the intestine. These findings suggest an approach for drug administration during REBOA use. However, further investigations are required to establish its application in clinical settings.