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Nitrous oxide unit
Also called: laughing gas machine, N2O/O2 unit, sedation unit
A gas machine that gives nitrous oxide and oxygen through a nose mask.
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) mixed with oxygen helps anxious patients relax while staying awake. The machine has a flowmeter and is built to fail safe: it never delivers less than 30% oxygen. A scavenging system (a vacuum on the nose mask) pulls exhaled gas away from the staff. In the US, nitrous oxide tanks are blue and oxygen tanks are green.
How to spot it
- A wall or cart unit with flow knobs and a reservoir bag, a hose to a nasal hood, and blue and green tanks or wall outlets.
What it is used for
- Only the trained, permitted clinician runs it; rules vary by state.
- At the end, the patient breathes 100% oxygen for at least 3 to 5 minutes before the mask comes off.
Safety and care
- Unscavenged nitrous oxide is a health risk for staff with repeated exposure; make sure scavenging is on.
- Check hoses and connections for leaks at daily start-up and whenever a tank is changed.
- Nasal hoods are single-use or cleaned and sterilized per the manufacturer.
Related
Sources: ADA Oral Health Topics. Nitrous Oxide, NIOSH. Controlling Exposures to Nitrous Oxide During Anesthetic Administration (Alert 94-100)