Hydrogen Delivery Reduces Intestinal Damage in Pigs During Emergency Surgery
Hydrogen Molecule Delivery System to Ischemic Intestine Using Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of Aorta in Hemorrhagic Shock-A Proof-of-Concept Study
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (pig)
- 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
- PMID
- 41751354
- Study Type
- Pig
- Participants
- 1
- Delivery
- Saline (Dissolved)
- Dose
- intra-aortic irrigation with hydrogen-dissolved saline through catheter distal to REBOA balloon
- H₂ concentration
- 0.224 mg/L
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 0 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
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 (excerpt)
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…