Hydrogen Gas Protects Brain During Heart Surgery in Animal Study
Perioperatively Inhaled Hydrogen Gas Diminishes Neurologic Injury Following Experimental Circulatory Arrest in Swine
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System · Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (pig)
- Authors
- Alexis R. Cole, Dorothy A. Perry, Ali Raza, Arthur P. Nedder, Elizabeth Pollack, William L. Regan, Sarah J. van den Bosch, Brian D. Polizzotti, Edward Yang, Daniel Davila, Onur Afacan, Simon K. Warfield, Yangming Ou, Brenda Sefton, Allen D. Everett, Jeffrey J. Neil, Hart G.W. Lidov, John E. Mayer, John N. Kheir
- Journal
- JACC: Basic to Translational Science
- Year
- 2019
- PMID
- 31061920
- Study Type
- Pig
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 2.4% hydrogen gas mixtures for 24 h during and following ischemic injury
- H₂ concentration
- 2.4% H2 gas
- Duration
- 1 day or less
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 27 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- United States
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas can reduce brain and kidney damage after a heart and lung machine causes a lack of blood flow in baby pigs.
Key Finding
Inhaled hydrogen gas (2.4% concentration) significantly reduced brain and kidney injury in pigs subjected to prolonged circulatory arrest, with protection demonstrated across multiple measurement methods including imaging and tissue analysis.
Summary
Researchers tested whether inhaled hydrogen gas could protect the brain and kidneys during heart surgery in young pigs. Pigs were placed on a heart-lung machine and their circulation was stopped for 75 minutes while cooled to 25°C (a procedure that normally causes organ damage). Half the pigs breathed a mixture containing 2.4% hydrogen gas during and after this period, while the other half did not. The hydrogen-treated pigs showed significantly less brain and kidney damage when examined afterward, and the hydrogen gas was safe to use with standard surgical equipment.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage animal study suggests hydrogen gas may have protective effects during cardiac surgery, but it is far too preliminary to draw conclusions about human use. The research was conducted only in pigs, and much more testing would be needed before any clinical application in humans. This represents a potential research direction rather than a proven medical intervention.
Abstract (excerpt)
Highlights • Inhaled hydrogen gas has been shown to temper the sequelae of ischemic insults. Its application in cardiopulmonary bypass has not been investigated. • Neonatal swine were cannulated to cardiopulmonary bypass and exposed to prolonged circulatory arrest (75 min at 25°C). Swine were…