A team of Japanese and U.S. researchers has been awarded this year’s Ig Nobel Prize in Physiology for their groundbreaking discovery that mammals can breathe through their intestines via the anus. This marks the 18th consecutive year that Japanese researchers have received an Ig Nobel Prize, which is a satirical take on the prestigious Nobel Prize and aims to recognize achievements that are both surprising and thought-provoking.
The research conducted by the team is expected to have significant implications for patients suffering from respiratory failure caused by diseases like COVID-19. Led by Tokyo Medical and Dental University professor Takanori Takebe, the researchers focused on studying how loaches, a type of fish, breathe. Loaches normally use gills for respiration but can absorb oxygen through their intestines in low-oxygen environments.
To explore the potential application of intestinal breathing in humans with deteriorating lung function, the team conducted experiments on mice and pigs. They injected liquid containing high levels of oxygen or oxygen gas into these animals through their anuses, resulting in increased blood oxygen levels and improved survival rates.
The researchers named this method ”enteral ventilation” and announced it in 2021. They are currently conducting trials using a medical device that delivers oxygen into human bodies via the anus with plans to commercialize it in Japan by 2028 and in the United States by 2030.
Traditional treatments for respiratory failure involve artificial respirators or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines. However, these methods place a heavy physical burden on patients and can be challenging to handle.
Professor Takebe highlighted that enteral ventilation could also benefit extremely premature babies. He expressed hope that winning the Ig Nobel Prize would generate interest in this technology, as it is not yet widely accepted.
At the award ceremony held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Takebe along with his co-researchers Ryo Okabe (a Japanese doctor) and Toyofumi Yoshikawa (a professor at Nagoya University) appeared wearing caps shaped like loaches while explaining their research methodology.
This year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony was held in person after four consecutive years of online ceremonies due to COVID-19 restrictions.
