Medicinal nitrous oxide/oxygen mixtures are used as an analgesic/sedative agent.
The low solubility of nitrous oxide in biological tissue and fluid means, in clinical practice, that medicinal nitrous oxide/oxygen mixtures provide rapid pain relief and elimination of the gas from the lungs. A further safety feature is the composition of the premixed product consisting of a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide and oxygen to prevent hypoxia during administration.
Medicinal nitrous oxide/oxygen mixtures can be administered by inhalation through face or nose masks or mouthpieces provided either as two separate gases delivered through a blender device or as fixed 50:50 mixtures. Gas flow can be controlled by a demand-valve activated by the patient’s inspired breath. The equipment is designed to be portable and easy to use both inside and outside hospital.
Because medicinal nitrous oxide/oxygen mixtures are administered by inhalation and therefore are non-invasive, there is no need to insert a cannula or set up an intravenous line. This means that analgesia/sedation with the mixtures does not need to be administered by a specialist anaesthetist but can be administered by trained staff such as paramedics, nurses and midwives.
To enhance your user experience and to deliver our online services, this website uses cookies for reasons of functionality, comfort and statistics. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.