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Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide), commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous, or factitious air, among others, [4] is a chemical compound, an oxide of nitrogen with the formula N 2 O. At room temperature, it is a colourless non-flammable gas, and has a slightly sweet scent and taste. [4]
Nitrous oxide, as medical gas supply, is an inhaled gas used as pain medication, and is typically administered with 50% oxygen mix. It is often used together with other medications for anesthesia . [ 2 ]
A normal minute volume while resting is about 5–8 liters per minute in humans. [1] Minute volume generally decreases when at rest, and increases with exercise. For example, during light activities minute volume may be around 12 litres. Riding a bicycle increases minute ventilation by a factor of 2 to 4 depending on the level of exercise involved.
In modern machines it is impossible to deliver 100% nitrous oxide (or any hypoxic mixture) to the patient to breathe. Oxygen is automatically added to the fresh gas flow even if the anaesthesiologist should attempt to deliver 100% nitrous oxide. Ratio controllers usually operate on the pneumatic principle or are chain linked (link 25 system).
[5] [6] The 8 gram nitrous oxide steel cylinder charger when discharged into an empty whipped cream dispenser creates a pressure of 30 pounds per square inch (200kPa) and delivers 3.24 litres of nitrous oxide gas.
Minimum alveolar concentration or MAC is the concentration, often expressed as a percentage by volume, of a vapour in the alveoli of the lungs that is needed to prevent movement (motor response) in 50% of subjects in response to surgical (pain) stimulus.
This was despite using high flow (litres per minute) of nitrous oxide and oxygen, and with the vaporizers delivering the maximum possible concentration of methoxyflurane. [31] Similar to its induction pharmacokinetics, methoxyflurane has very slow and somewhat unpredictable emergence characteristics.
These effects occur because of the contraction of alveolar volume associated with the uptake of the nitrous oxide. Previous explanations by Edmond I. Eger and Robert K. Stoelting have appealed to an extra-inspired tidal volume due to a potential negative intrapulmonary pressure associated with the uptake of the nitrous oxide. [2]