Hydrogen Saline Solution Prevents Bowel Problems After Surgery
- Authors
- Ayana Okamoto, Keisuke Kohama, Michiko Aoyama-Ishikawa, Hayato Yamashita, Noritomo Fujisaki, Taihei Yamada, Tetsuya Yumoto, Nobuyuki Nosaka, Hiromichi Naito, Kohei Tsukahara, Atsuyoshi Iida, Keiji Sato, Joji Kotani, Atsunori Nakao
- Journal
- Surgery
- Year
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.surg.2016.05.026
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Postoperative Ileus
- Body System
- Gastrointestinal
TL;DR
Injecting a solution with high levels of hydrogen into the abdomen reduces inflammation and improves bowel movement after surgery.
Key Finding
Intraperitoneal hydrogen-rich saline significantly improved bowel movement after surgical manipulation in rodents and reduced markers of intestinal inflammation.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich salt water could help prevent postoperative ileus—a temporary loss of normal bowel movement that commonly occurs after abdominal surgery. In mice and rats, they injected hydrogen-rich saline into the abdominal cavity before closing the surgical incision. The treatment reduced intestinal inflammation, decreased immune cell infiltration, and improved bowel movement compared to regular salt water. The hydrogen appeared to work by reducing nitric oxide, a molecule involved in the inflammatory response.
Practical Takeaway
This early animal study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may help prevent postoperative ileus, but these results are from rodent models only and have not been tested in humans. The delivery method used here (injected directly into the abdomen during surgery) differs from oral hydrogen water, so it's unclear whether drinking hydrogen water would produce similar effects. Further human research would be needed to determine if this approach has practical value for surgical patients.
Abstract
Background: Postoperative ileus, a transient impairment of bowel motility initiated by intestinal inflammation, is common after an abdominal operation and leads to increased hospital stays and costs. Hydrogen has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and potential therapeutic value. Solubilized hydrogen may be a portable and practical means of administering therapeutic hydrogen gas. We hypothesized that intraperitoneal administration of hydrogen-rich saline would ameliorate postoperative ileus. Methods: Ileus was induced via surgical manipulation in mice and rats. The peritoneal cavity was filled with 1.0 mL saline or hydrogen-rich saline (≥1.5-2.0 ppm) before closure of the abdominal incision. Intestinal transit was assessed 24 hours postoperatively. Inflammation was examined by quantitation of neutrophil extravasation and expression of proinflammatory markers. Nitric oxide production was assessed in cultured muscularis propria. Results: Surgical manipulation resulted in a marked delay in intestinal transit and was associated with upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and increased neutrophil extravasation. Bowel dysmotility, induced by surgical manipulation and inflammatory events, was significantly attenuated by intra-abdominal administration of hydrogen-rich saline. Nitric oxide production in the muscle layers of the bowel was inhibited by hydrogen treatment. Conclusion: A single intraperitoneal dose of hydrogen-rich saline ameliorates postoperative ileus by inhibiting the inflammatory response and suppressing nitric oxide production.