"Butt breathing" might soon be a real medical treatment
16 hours ago
- #medical research
- #Ig Nobel Prize
- #respiratory health
- Researchers won the 2024 Ig Nobel Prize in Physiology for discovering that many mammals can breathe through their anus.
- A new study explores adapting this method to treat people with blocked airways or clogged lungs, showing promising results.
- The research was inspired by loaches and sea cucumbers, which use intestinal breathing (EVA) under hypoxic conditions.
- Experiments were conducted on mice and micro-pigs using a perfluorocarbon liquid (Oxycyte) originally developed as artificial blood.
- The study emerged from COVID-19 ventilator shortages, highlighting a potential alternative for respiratory support.