Nitrous Oxide in 2010: Who Will Have the Last Laugh? (Part 1)
Keywords:
Nitrous OxideAbstract
Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been a part of anaesthetic practice for over 150 years. During this time, its reputation has seesawed. Today, anaesthetic opinion seems to have swung away from its use. To ascertain whether this is based on sound scienti c principles, or can be ascribed to a shift in “medical fashion”, a Pubmed search for all articles containing the terms “nitrous oxide” and “anaesthesia” was conducted for the period 2004 to 2009. Relevant articles were selected and supplemented with appropriate articles from their references. This three-part series thus reviews the current knowledge of nitrous oxide. In this, the first article of the series, the history and basic science are reviewed. The focus is on the latest knowledge regarding mechanisms of action and possible pathophysiological mechanisms, and the clinical relevance thereof. New considerations regarding preoperative assessment and premedication are also presented. The remainder of the series will deal with the clinical controversies surrounding nitrous oxide, analyse claimed risks and benefits, and discuss its role in 2010.Downloads
Issue
Section
Registrar Communication Prize Winner
License
By submitting manuscripts to SAJAA, authors of original articles are assigning copyright to the SA Society of Anaesthesiologists. Authors may use their own work after publication without written permission, provided they acknowledge the original source. Individuals and academic institutions may freely copy and distribute articles published in SAJAA for educational and research purposes without obtaining permission.
The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial Works 4.0 South Africa License. The SAJAA does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.