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Nitrous oxide elimination by the newborn
Author(s) -
MANKOWITZ E.,
BROCKUTNE J.G.,
DOWNING J.W.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1981.tb08674.x
Subject(s) - nitrous oxide , enflurane , medicine , anesthesia , caesarean section , oxygen , hypoxia (environmental) , isoflurane , pregnancy , chemistry , organic chemistry , biology , genetics
Summary The elimination of nitrous oxide by ten infants whose mothers had received 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen and enflurane 0·6–1% during general anaesthesia for Caesarean section was studied. The concentration of nitrous oxide detected in end‐expired gas ranged from 1 to 4 vol% (mean 1·9 vol%). These levels are too low to produce significant diffusion hypoxia in vigorous neonates. However, a minority of infants may be adversely affected and it is recommended that oxygen‐enriched air be administered to infants whose mothers have received nitrous oxide.