Internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine with at least one piston reciprocating in a cylinder, comprising a piston ring region with at least one piston ring, with the piston comprising a piston wall and at least one first cavity for receiving gases passing at least one piston ring, with a piston ring region of the piston being connected via at least one first flow path with the first cavity, and with gases being removable from the first cavity via at least one second flow path, wherein the second flow path ends in an outlet opening in a region of the wall of the piston, with the outlet opening communicating in at least one piston position with an inlet opening in the cylinder wall, wherein a non-return valve opening in a direction of the collecting manifold is arranged in a region of the inlet opening.