BOC to highlight continuing role of nitrous oxide in healthcare industry

06-May-2002

Guildford, UK, May 1, 2002 - Nitrous oxide (N2O) still has a vital role to play in modern anaesthesia - that's the message BOC will outline at two major UK medical conferences later this year.

For many years N2O has contributed to the care to millions of people with a variety of medical conditions. But in recent years a number of new developments have revolutionised the practice of anaesthesia.

At this year's Intensive Care Society exhibition in Edinburgh from May 1-3 and at the summer meeting of the Association of Anaesthetists at the Bournemouth International Centre from September 19-29, BOC will reaffirm the benefits of N2O as part of modern anaesthetic techniques.

These include:

Faster induction times when used with inhaled anaesthetic agents, due to its low blood and gas solubility. Medical studies that show the use of N2O allows a more rapid progression to laryngeal mask insertion and settled breathing than other anaesthetics. The low blood/gas solubility of N2O results in quicker recovery after anaesthesia. N2O is described as a weak anaesthetic, and as such its use allows a reduction in the doses of more potent agents, such as propofol, isoflurane and sevoflurane.This results in the reduction of side effects usually associated with anaesthetic and analgesic agents such as cardiovascular depression, respiratory depression and hangover effects after surgery.

Excellent safety records for the patient with minimal post-operative side effects, for example nausea and vomiting. David Owers, BOC Medical, marketing manager, said: "N2O is a safe, effective and dependable gas that, when used as part of a modern balanced anaesthetic technique, assists in the provision of the highest standards of care to the patient.

"Our message at these two shows, and to the wider healthcare industry, is that despite the advent of newer intravenous and inhalational agents, N2O continues to be a vital part of a general anaesthetic that has been shown to have many important benefits for the patient."

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