Hydrogen Gas During Heart Surgery Improves Recovery and Blood Function
- Authors
- Anna Vaycheslavovna Deryugina, Darya Andreevna Danilova, Yurii Dmitrievich Brichkin, Evgenii Vladimirovich Taranov, Evgenii Ivanovich Nazarov, Vladimir Viktorovich Pichugin, Aleksandr Pavlovich Medvedev, Michail Valerevich Riazanov, Sergey Andreevich Fedorov, Andrej Yurevich Smorkalov, Evgenii Vladimirovich Makarov
- Journal
- Medical Gas Research
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.4103/2045-9912.356473
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Russia
- Health Condition
- Heart Valve Disease
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Breathing in molecular hydrogen during heart valve surgery may improve red blood cell function and heart muscle performance after the operation.
Key Finding
Heart surgery patients who inhaled molecular hydrogen gas during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery showed improved red blood cell function and reduced oxidative stress compared to control patients, with better heart muscle recovery in the early postoperative period.
Summary
In this study of 24 heart surgery patients, researchers tested whether breathing molecular hydrogen gas during surgery could protect red blood cells (the cells that carry oxygen in blood) from damage. Patients who breathed hydrogen gas (mixed with anesthesia) during surgery showed improvements in red blood cell function and had less oxidative stress (a type of cellular damage) compared to patients who did not receive hydrogen. The hydrogen-treated patients also showed better heart muscle function recovery in the days after surgery.
Practical Takeaway
This small clinical study suggests hydrogen gas may have protective effects during cardiac surgery, but the findings are preliminary and limited to the surgical setting with anesthesia. More research in larger patient groups is needed to confirm these results and determine whether hydrogen might have benefits outside of surgery. This study does not support using hydrogen water or other hydrogen products without medical supervision.
Abstract (excerpt)
Molecular hydrogen (H2) has been considered a preventive and therapeutic medical gas in numerous diseases. The study aimed to investigate the potential role of molecular hydrogen as a component of anesthesia in surgical treatment with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) of acquired valve defects…