A technique that once snagged an Ig Nobel prize for its oddball premise has cleared its first human safety trial—and it involves "butt-breathing." The official term is "enteral ventilation," and a new study, published in the journal Med, marks a potential step toward a new way to deliver oxygen to patients who can't breathe well, especially newborns, reports IFLScience. Inspired by certain turtles and dragonfly nymphs that can absorb oxygen through their rear ends, Dr. Takanori Takebe and his team wondered if mammals might benefit from a similar technique.
The researchers used a liquid called perfluorodecalin, which can hold up to 50 times more oxygen than water. In what a release describes as an "enema-like process," the scientists administered the liquid rectally into 27 healthy Japanese men, who were then asked to hold it for an hour. Most managed the task, with the main complaints being bloating and discomfort.
Crucially, no serious side effects were reported, and the liquid itself wasn't absorbed into the body. This initial test didn't actually involve oxygenated liquid—the goal was simply to check if the procedure was safe for humans, and so far, so good. The next step is to try the process with real oxygen, still on healthy volunteers before moving to patients with breathing problems. If successful, the technique could eventually offer a simpler, potentially less damaging alternative to mechanical ventilators, especially in places with limited resources.
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