EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Nitrous use

Hi Guys,
I hope i have posted this in the correct place...apologies if not. Im just trying to ascertain what other trusts are doing regarding the use of nitrous in theatres. I was approached by a clinical team lead asking if other trusts are moving away from using this gas. Any comments greatly appreciated.tia

Nitrous oxide? What alternative gas do they have in mind? Or are they having a laugh?

Haha, good one Geoff, well you made me laugh. Anyway we removed the use of Nitrous Oxide on the Maquet Flow i anaesthetic machines we have in Theatres last year. There appears to be quite a bit of concern regarding the environmental effect of Nitrous oxide ......some info below

https://www.gov.scot/publications/a...y-sustainability-report-2021-22/pages/4/

... and I'm here all week.

Yes, no doubt we're all aware of the "drive" towards the "Green Theatre" ... but my question remains: what gas is the Green Lobby putting forward in place of N2O?

Many (if not all) gases and drugs etc. applied for the benefit of patients have some sort of "issues". That's why (in the main) anaesthetists et al are clever folk.

Here is an extract from the document you cite:-
I'm not sure how that last bit (redundant) follows, and I would question the accuracy of the first assertion anyway. Other than that, the document does not seem to offer any alternative to N2O.

To be frank, all this "green" stuff seems to be aimed at "saving the planet" rather than "helping the patient". They talk about "emissions" but fail to mention AGSS.

SageTech medical have a very good solution for AGSS to tackle the environment side of waste gases that do contribute to a dirtier planet. In regard to "helping the planet", this would mean reversing decades of industrial progression and cost money. We are in the middle of cost of living crisis dont you know, and yet every major company is seeing record profits?

I dare not comment on political issues; but the Sage concept seems like a good step forward.

200 years history of N2O and today it is still N2O unless there is a strong indication not to continue!

Yes, indeed; and let's hear it for Dr R.J. Minnitt ... best remembered for the introduction of "Gas and Air" analgesia during labour (in 1932-4): "Entonox" in other words (N20/O2).

It is easy today to criticise such use, but it was a pragmatic solution to a problem in the circumstances of the time; a solution which was (and remains) very effective.