“Butt Breathing” Breakthrough: Rectal Oxygen Therapy Shows Promise as Emergency Life Support
CINCINNATI,OH – November 21,2025 – In a potentially groundbreaking growth,scientists are exploring a novel method of oxygen delivery: through the rectum.Research led by physician Takanori Takebe at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center demonstrates the feasibility of delivering life-sustaining oxygen directly to the intestines, offering a possible emergency backup when lung function fails.
The research, detailed in recent reports, utilizes a liquid carrying dissolved oxygen – perfluorodecalin - administered rectally. In experiments, researchers successfully raised blood oxygen levels in pigs with compromised respiratory systems. A liter of perfluorodecalin can carry 500 milliliters of oxygen, offering a potential, albeit temporary, lifeline.
The work is supported by EVA Therapeutics,a start-up co-founded by Takebe to develop oxygen-enriched rectal delivery systems. While these early results don’t yet prove clinical benefit, they represent a necessary step toward testing whether intestinal oxygen therapy could be used in emergency medical settings.
Reactions within the pulmonary community are mixed. Dr. John Laffey, a critical care researcher at the University of Galway, expressed skepticism, stating, “The lung, even an injured lung, will always exchange gas way better than any other organ, because that’s what it’s designed for.” He also highlighted the logistical challenges, noting the frequency of administration required: “We use 250 milliliters [of oxygen] per minute.” This would necessitate frequent enemas to maintain oxygen levels, raising concerns about practicality and scalability.
Though, other experts see potential. Dr. Kevin Gibbs, a pulmonary care physician at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, believes the therapy could be valuable in specific, short-term scenarios. “What I find exciting is if this drug works… maybe you can administer this, and then all of the sudden they have this real boost in oxygen for the time it takes you to safely put someone on life support-and that would be huge,” he said.
The research suggests rectal oxygenation may not replace traditional mechanical ventilation, but could serve as a crucial bridge in high-risk or low-resource situations - including mass casualty events, natural disasters, or battlefield medicine.The concept also aligns with a growing interest in non-invasive treatments for hypoxia,particularly considering global ventilator shortages experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
takebe envisions the treatment as a supplement to conventional respiratory support, not a replacement. “Maybe we can apply this in emergency situations, like hospital-to-hospital transfers or ambulance procedures,” he told Science News.
This research offers a potentially vital alternative when conventional oxygen delivery methods are unavailable or insufficient, redefining the possibilities for emergency oxygen therapy in an increasingly unpredictable world.
