Heliox Use in the Treatment of Acute Hyperammonemia

The objective of this study was to evaluate a new method for the treatment of acute hyperammonemia with a helium-oxygen mixture (heliox). We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled study of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Experimental hyperammonemia was induced by 7 days of a high-ammonia diet. Subsequently, the animals were randomly divided into two groups: the study group treated with heliox breathing for 24 hours and a control group breathing room air for 24 hours. A prospective, randomized, controlled laboratory animal study was conducted at an animal research facility. The baseline plasma ammonia level was 9.49 ± 10.96 μmol/L. After 7 days of a high-ammonia diet, the plasma ammonia level rose to 31.53 ± 8.86 μmol/L. There was a significant statistical difference between the plasma ammonia level following 24 hours of heliox therapy ( 23.14 ± 13.97 μmol/L) and the ammonia level in the control group (42.31 ± 24.25 μmol/L) (P < .05). Heliox breathing was found to be an efficient treatment modality for ...