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Gas's - anaesthetics
Does anyone know the name of the gas given to you to make you fall asleep during operations.
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I'm afraid that the answers provided by TeeGee and barbie jacey are not correct. On the other hand, Hawkwalk�s answer is correct. There are a lot of misconceptions flying about regarding nitrous oxide, so I'll try to put the record straight without going into too much detail.
Inhalation anaesthetics may be either gases or volatile liquids. Now, when the medical profession speak of anaesthetic usage, they are always either speaking of induction of anaesthesia or maintenance of anaesthesia.
Induction of anaesthesia is the use of anaesthetic agents to put a patient to sleep, which is what pb100191 is asking about. Maintenance of anaesthesia is the use of anaesthetic agents to make sure that you stay asleep after you've been put to sleep. It's important to recognise the difference before going any further.
There are a few pure gases which could put a patient to sleep (nitrous oxide is not one of them) but these gases can cause problems for the patient and are potentially toxic, so they're hardly ever used.
Nowadays, most hospitals use volatile liquid anaesthetics administered using vapourisers, which use air, oxygen or nitrous oxide-oxygen mixtures as the carrier gas for induction anaesthesia. These volatile liquid anaesthetics include Isoflurane, Enflurane, Desflurane and Sevoflurane.
Sevoflurane is the best of the lot for what's called mask induction anaesthesia but it's quite expensive (around �50 for 100ml). Halothane is not as popular as it once was due to potential severe liver toxicity, cardiorespiratory depression, cardiac effects and some obscure biochemical changes that may occur in the body. There are also issues over accumulative sensitivity and toxicity.
(Continued)
Inhalation anaesthetics may be either gases or volatile liquids. Now, when the medical profession speak of anaesthetic usage, they are always either speaking of induction of anaesthesia or maintenance of anaesthesia.
Induction of anaesthesia is the use of anaesthetic agents to put a patient to sleep, which is what pb100191 is asking about. Maintenance of anaesthesia is the use of anaesthetic agents to make sure that you stay asleep after you've been put to sleep. It's important to recognise the difference before going any further.
There are a few pure gases which could put a patient to sleep (nitrous oxide is not one of them) but these gases can cause problems for the patient and are potentially toxic, so they're hardly ever used.
Nowadays, most hospitals use volatile liquid anaesthetics administered using vapourisers, which use air, oxygen or nitrous oxide-oxygen mixtures as the carrier gas for induction anaesthesia. These volatile liquid anaesthetics include Isoflurane, Enflurane, Desflurane and Sevoflurane.
Sevoflurane is the best of the lot for what's called mask induction anaesthesia but it's quite expensive (around �50 for 100ml). Halothane is not as popular as it once was due to potential severe liver toxicity, cardiorespiratory depression, cardiac effects and some obscure biochemical changes that may occur in the body. There are also issues over accumulative sensitivity and toxicity.
(Continued)
Nitrous oxide is used solely for the maintenance of anaesthesia, and at lower concentrations, for analgesia during childbirth and other procedures. It does not put a patient to sleep at any concentration. Nitrous oxide is generally mixed with up to 30% oxygen in association with other anaesthetics during anaesthesia and the main reason it's not used alone is that it's not a sufficiently powerful (potent) anaesthetic.
The usual form that nitrous oxide takes in a labour ward is a gas called Entonox. This is a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide with 50% oxygen. As you mothers will testify, it produces analgesia without the loss of consciousness. Entonox is also used by paramedics and in A&E departments during removal of painful dressings etc.
Most patients about to undergoe an operation under general anaesthetic will have had a cannula, more commonly known as a �tap� inserted into a vein on the back of their hand. Sometimes a lighter anaesthetic or sedative is used to induce drowsiness or euphoria and the patient is actually put to sleep using an intravenous anaesthetic via the cannula. These agents include Propofol, Thiopentone Sodium, Etomidate and Ketamine (the latter much abused by drug addicts as �Special-K�)
The usual form that nitrous oxide takes in a labour ward is a gas called Entonox. This is a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide with 50% oxygen. As you mothers will testify, it produces analgesia without the loss of consciousness. Entonox is also used by paramedics and in A&E departments during removal of painful dressings etc.
Most patients about to undergoe an operation under general anaesthetic will have had a cannula, more commonly known as a �tap� inserted into a vein on the back of their hand. Sometimes a lighter anaesthetic or sedative is used to induce drowsiness or euphoria and the patient is actually put to sleep using an intravenous anaesthetic via the cannula. These agents include Propofol, Thiopentone Sodium, Etomidate and Ketamine (the latter much abused by drug addicts as �Special-K�)
The mistake is easily made TeeGee - no harm done. No, I'm not an anaesthesiologist. I'm a biochemistry professor at a leading UK university and a government science advisor employed part-time elsewhere.
Many anaesthetics have wide-ranging effects on the biochemical processes within the body. Because of this, biochemists have always worked behind the scenes on the properties and metabolism of anaesthetics.
No one is quite sure how halogenated ethers such as Desflurane and Sevoflurane work and much research is continuing into the subject both in biochemistry departments at universities and in medical schools.
Anaesthesia has always been a pet subject of mine.
Many anaesthetics have wide-ranging effects on the biochemical processes within the body. Because of this, biochemists have always worked behind the scenes on the properties and metabolism of anaesthetics.
No one is quite sure how halogenated ethers such as Desflurane and Sevoflurane work and much research is continuing into the subject both in biochemistry departments at universities and in medical schools.
Anaesthesia has always been a pet subject of mine.
Erm.... more that you remind me of somebody I used to work with TheProf and his daughter is a good friend of mine. So I'm not sure what to give out cause I doubt you are actually him so it's not too fair! I'm fairly sure he's a biochemist too, also works at the local university and does work at the hospital where I work too.
Erm... Do you know anything about a project called Agenda for Change?
Erm... Do you know anything about a project called Agenda for Change?
It makes perfect sense.
Don't know about the daughter bit - I've got more than one of them myself. Nowadays, I don't often work in hospitals and tend to get called in or asked for advice only when something very unusual or unique is in the air.
Most of the week, I can be found in my university Biochemistry department or working as part of the "management" of the university. The rest of the time, I advise some government laboratories and research agencies, usually on site.
Biochemistry is one of those disciplines that tend to get confused with other sciences on occasion. Pharmacologists, for example are often confused for biochemists working in hospitals as some of their work does cross over from one discipline to the other. Biochemistry MLSO�s often do other work as well which doesn�t help.
No, I don't know anything about Agenda for Change, so it can�t be me! Besides, I don't write under an assumed name, as even "theprof" is not an assumed one!
Don't know about the daughter bit - I've got more than one of them myself. Nowadays, I don't often work in hospitals and tend to get called in or asked for advice only when something very unusual or unique is in the air.
Most of the week, I can be found in my university Biochemistry department or working as part of the "management" of the university. The rest of the time, I advise some government laboratories and research agencies, usually on site.
Biochemistry is one of those disciplines that tend to get confused with other sciences on occasion. Pharmacologists, for example are often confused for biochemists working in hospitals as some of their work does cross over from one discipline to the other. Biochemistry MLSO�s often do other work as well which doesn�t help.
No, I don't know anything about Agenda for Change, so it can�t be me! Besides, I don't write under an assumed name, as even "theprof" is not an assumed one!
LFAO!! Bless you... you did have me wondering for a second there. I know quite a few scientists one way or another working here (hence all the questions I end up asking). The person I was thinking of is a clinical biochemist (says so in his job title) and also a prof. He does some work for the goverment too and is a senior member of staff at the university.
There is no reason why anyone should know more than necessary about Agenda for Change... tis the bane of many peoples lives!
Now I've got to do some work... I've nearly finished my coffee.
There is no reason why anyone should know more than necessary about Agenda for Change... tis the bane of many peoples lives!
Now I've got to do some work... I've nearly finished my coffee.
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