Scientists have discovered a new way of administering oxygen to the blood which could allow people to stay alive without breathing. The proccdure, which works by injecting oxygen molecules (分子) enclosed in fauly molecules directly into the bloodstream, could extend an extra 30 minutes of life when they cannot breathe.
John Kheir, a doctor of the Boston Children's Hospital, was inspired to begin his groundbreaking research after he experienced a patient's tragic death, according to Science Daily. He was operating on a young girl whose pneumonia led to deadly brain damage after doctors were unable to place her on a breathing machine in lime to save her.
In response, Dr Kheir started working on the idea of inserting oxygen directly into the blood. Early experiments showed that the intervention could in theory be very successful, he said, "We drew each other's blood, mixed it in a test tube with the microparticles, and watched blue blood turn immediately red, right before our eyes. IIowever, injecting pure oxygen into the bloodstream in gas form failed miscrably when it was allcmpled 100 years ago, as it formed dangerous bubbles in he veins (静脉) .
Much of Dr Kheir's research therefore involved finding a substance which could surround the oxygen and allow it to be suspended in a liquid for injection into the body. He found that using fatty molecules was the best way to keep oxygen after using sound waves to trap the two substances together into small particles that can only be seen with the help of a microscope. The particles were then made up into a liquid which is very heavily oxygenated—carrying "three to four limes the oxygen content of our own red blood cells", according to Dr Kheir.
When used on humans, the oxygen could probably last for up to 30 minutes, though injecting it for any longer could damage the patient's blood. "This is a short-term oxygen substitute—a way to safely inject oxygen gas to support patients during a critical few minutes," Dr Kheir said. He added that he thought the technique could become routine for doctors dealing with emergency situations.
