Hydrogen Solution Protects Lungs During Transplant Surgery
- Authors
- Hidenao Kayawake, Toyofumi F. Chen-Yoshikawa, Masao Saito, Hiroya Yamagishi, Akihiko Yoshizawa, Shin-Ich Hirano, Ryosuke Kurokawa, Hiroshi Date
- Journal
- The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.05.076
- Study Type
- Dog
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- End-stage Lung Disease
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
Using a hydrogen-rich solution to preserve dog lungs for transplantation resulted in better lung function and less damage compared to a standard preservation solution.
Key Finding
Lungs preserved in hydrogen-rich solution showed significantly better oxygen exchange, less fluid accumulation, and reduced cellular damage compared to standard preservation solution in a dog transplant model.
Summary
Researchers tested whether a preservation solution containing dissolved hydrogen gas could protect donor lungs during transplantation in dogs. They compared lungs preserved in a standard solution versus a hydrogen-enriched solution, then transplanted them and monitored how well they functioned. The hydrogen-treated lungs showed better oxygen levels, less fluid buildup, and less cellular damage than the standard-treated lungs.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research in dogs, not humans. While the results suggest hydrogen-enriched preservation solutions may help protect donor organs during transplantation, much more research—including human studies—would be needed before this could benefit transplant patients. The findings are promising for organ transplant medicine but do not yet apply to hydrogen water for general health use.
Abstract
Background: Molecular hydrogen (H2) has protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion injury in various organs. Because they are easier to transport and safer to use than inhaled H2, H2-rich solutions are suitable for organ preservation. In this study, we examined the protective effects of an H2-rich solution for lung preservation in a canine left lung transplantation (LTx) model. Methods: Ten beagles underwent orthotopic left LTx after 23 hours of cold ischemia followed by reperfusion for 4 hours. Forty-five minutes after reperfusion, the right main pulmonary artery was clamped to evaluate the function of the implanted graft. The beagles were divided into two groups: control (CON group, n=5) and hydrogen (H2 group, n=5). In the CON group, the donor lungs were flushed and immersed during cold preservation at 4°C using ET-Kyoto solution, and in the H2 group, these were flushed and immersed using H2-rich ET-Kyoto solution. Physiological assessments were performed during reperfusion. After reperfusion, the wet-to-dry ratios were determined, and histological examinations were performed. Results: Significantly higher partial pressure of arterial oxygen and significantly lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide were observed in the H2 group than in the CON group (p=0.045 and p<0.001, respectively). The wet-to-dry ratio was significantly lower in the H2 group than in the CON group (p=0.032). Moreover, in histological examination, less lung injury and fewer apoptotic cells were observed in the H2 group (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that the H2-rich preservation solution attenuated ischemia-reperfusion injury in a canine left LTx model. (247 words).