Pigs can breathe through their butts - can you?

[Occams Barber]

This is the opening line of a genuine LIVESCIENCE article from 3 days ago.

"Mice, rats and pigs all share a secret superpower: They can all use their intestines to breathe, and scientists discovered this by pumping oxygen up the animals' butts."​

As your Ace Science Reporter from Down Under my job is to follow the science wherever it may lead. In this case, into places I would not normally venture.

Read on>>

Pigs can breathe through their butts. Can humans? | Live Science (Paraphrased)

Whether you call it intestinal-ventilation, anal-aeration, rectal- resuscitation or just plain bum-breathing, it appears that mammals can actually absorb oxygen through blood vessels in the lower end of their intestinal tract. Following inspiration from sea cucumbers and loach (a fish), scientists experimented by pumping oxygen up the rear ends of mice, rats and pigs. Subjects exposed to a low-oxygen environment survived far longer with anally ventilated oxygen.

Experiments are ongoing using a liquid fluorocarbon, infused with oxygen, as a means of introducing oxygen into the gut without damaging its coating of epithelial cells. A similar process is already in use in the lungs of infants suffering severe respiratory distress.

The concept was also triggered by potential shortages of ventilators during the COVID 19 pandemic. At a future time, one can imagine patients lined up head-to-tail sharing new and improved dual-purpose ventilators.

Gratuitous and unnecessary picture of a pig’s breathing apparatus

Full Article:
Pigs can breathe through their butts. Can humans? | Live Science

OB

 

[Landon Caeli]

I can only exhale that way.

...On the real though, that's pretty interesting.

 

[Landon Caeli]

Seriously, if something like this could be used in place of a tracheotomy, that would be something.

 

[Occams Barber]

I can only exhale that way.

...On the real though, that's pretty interesting.

There are so many things I could have said but have carefully avoided for the sake of propriety.

I expect the same restraint from you and other posters.

OB

 

[Landon Caeli]

There are so many things I could have said but have carefully avoided for the sake of propriety.

I expect the same restraint from you and other posters.

OB

Good luck with that.

 

[Occams Barber]

The idea has significant commercial possibilities beyond the purely medical realm.

Imagine a redesigned snorkel...

OB

 

[mmksparbud]

Unless it is a baby---I absolutely will not be doing CPR by breathing into anyone's butt!

 

[Landon Caeli]

The idea has significant commercial possibilities beyond the purely medical realm.

Imagine a redesigned snorkel...

OB

Um, not to mention, taking an outside stroll on mars' equator at noon, when the temp is just about right.

...I don't think carbon dioxide hurts the lungs, the lungs just starve for oxygen, which can be injected the...other way.

 

[angelsaroundme]

The wonders will never cease.

 

[MehGuy]

Our butts never got a chance.. since we suffocate them all the time under articles of clothing.


They're freaking dead..

 

[jacks]

If pigs had opposing thumbs they would rule the world!

 

[Sabertooth]

Are your oxygen levels too low...? Up yours!

"Every time we performed experiments [pumping air into mouse anuses], we were quite surprised," Takebe told Live Science...

(Not as surprised as the mice were...!

)

 

[Occams Barber]

(Not as surprised as the mice were...!

)

I have this vision of over-inflated mice being accidentally released and jetting around the room like an unsealed balloon.

Either that or "popping".

OB

 

[Sketcher]

I wouldn't want to, personally.

 

[Ceallaigh]

I'm sure some would say of some others, it would be the most direct way to get oxygen to their brain.

 

[Unqualified]

Deleted

 

[coffee4u]

Unless it is a baby---I absolutely will not be doing CPR by breathing into anyone's butt!

Knowing babies.... I would say that to be an even more dangerous undertaking.

 

[mmksparbud]

Knowing babies.... I would say that to be an even more dangerous undertaking.

I fully understand---but they are ever so much cuter and at least have a purer soul!

 

[Occams Barber]

I fully understand---but they are ever so much cuter and at least have a purer soul!

In this case, I don't think their soul is the problem.

OB

 

[sjastro]

Isn't this further evidence of evolution?
Pigs can breathe through their butts, humans have evolved to speak through it.