Solution to save people when breathing stops

A group of American experts invented a solution that could produce oxygen in the blood immediately after the respiratory system stopped working.

Science Daily said researchers at Boston Children's Hospital "locked up" oxygen molecules in lipid membranes - an important fat compound - to create what they call "oxygen particles". Lipids are the main component of cell membranes and are capable of storing energy to supply the body. They include fats like cooking oil and animal fat.

With the ability to produce oxygen in the blood, the oxygen-containing granules of the hospital
Pediatric Boston can save tens of millions of lives every year.

Each "oxygen bead" is 4 micrometers in diameter. They are suspended in lipid solutions for doctors and lifeguards to easily carry in emergencies. If the victim stops breathing, the medical staff will pump the lipid solution into their body. The solution will produce enough oxygen to keep the victim alive for a period of 15 to 30 minutes after they stop breathing. During that precious time, doctors can take the necessary measures to save the victim without fear that the victim may have a heart attack or brain damage.

"The amount of oxygen in each oxygen granule is 4 times higher than the oxygen in each red blood cell. Thanks to the ability to deform, they can move through the small capillaries that oxygen free cannot penetrate." John Kheir, a researcher at the Department of Cardiology at Boston Children's Hospital, said.

Blood takes oxygen from the lungs to transport and distribute throughout the body. Therefore, when respiratory activity stops, the blood does not get oxygen and the body dies after a certain period of time.

The "oxygen granule" of Boston Children's Hospital has been successfully tested on animals when their respiratory system is inactive. When the doctor injects the solution into the patient's blood vessels, their blood oxygen levels increase to near normal levels. The team also experimented with their own blood.

"We took blood from each other and mixed it with lipid solution. The solution changed from blue to red immediately," Kheir said.

Experts say Kheir's invention will be one of the most important medical achievements in recent years and it can save tens of millions of lives every year. Of course, hospitals will have to wait a while longer before "oxygen seeds" become commercial products.