Injecting Life-Saving Oxygen Into a Vein

Injecting Life-Saving Oxygen Into a Vein

Researchers from Boston Children's Hospital have created injectable oxygen microparticles for patients with breathing impairments.
The emergency, IV oxygen-delivering syringe contains microparticles of oxygen gas and liquid. Details of the microparticles were published in a June 2012 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

Led by Dr. John Kheir of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Boston, chemical engineers, particle scientists, and medical doctors teamed up to create the tiny particles for patients having difficulty breathing.

Thus arose the injectable particle. It could sustain patients between 15 and 30 minutes after experiencing respiratory failure.
"This is a short-term oxygen substitute — a way to safely inject oxygen gas to support patients during a critical few minutes," Dr. Kheir talked about the technology in a press release. "Eventually, this could be stored in syringes on every code cart in a hospital, ambulance, or transport helicopter to help stabilize patients who are having difficulty breathing."

Experts are saying the potential uses for this new particle could extend to military, covert teams, even oil rig crews who would be able to breathe underwater for 30 minutes at a time without coming above for air.

Reference:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/09/19/161431078/tiny-bubbles-injectable-oxygen-foam-tested-for-emergency-care
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120627142512.htm

Source:
http://www.medicaldaily.com/injectable-oxygen-could-help-people-breath-underwater-keep-patients-alive-after-lung-failure-245632
Image via Wikimedia Commons