Laughing gas aka Nitrous oxide

Some random facts about nitrous oxide

1. Discovered by preistly

2. Cylinder colour blue

3. Stored as a liquid ( critical temp 36.5 C )

4. Aka laughing gas

5. Not metabolised in the body

6. In anaesthesia it acts as a carrier to other agents..used in conc of 33%O2 + 66%N20 + 1% inhalational agent

7. For every one mole of nitrogen removed, 35 moles of N2O enters..that means compliant spaces in our body take in more gas with increased in pressure..therefore nitrous oxide is constraindicated in these situations.

  Pneumothorax
  Pneumoperitoneum
  Tympanaplasty
  Posterior fossa surgeries ( high risk of air embolism)
  Intestinal obstruction
  Microlaryngeal surgeries ( N2O diffuses through the tube cuff and double or triple the volume of the cuff leading to laryngospasm)

8. Side effects - it can lead
   Bone marrow aplasia
   Sub acute degeneration of spinal cord
  Megaloblastic anaemia
( It inactivates B12 if used for more than 6 hrs in a surgery )

- happy studying
Sakkan :)