Laughing gas

Laughing gas, also known as nitrous oxide or N₂O, is used in the medical world for both anaesthesia and pain killing.

Application scope

Laughing gas (N₂O) knows different application areas in the medical world:

• In anaesthesia: to bring patients under anaesthesia for an operation
• In delivery rooms, in the emergency department and in the ambulance: for pain killing
• In palliative care: for sedation (reducing the state of consciousness)
• At the dentist: for pain killing and reducing fear

The MAC value of laughing gas is 101%. The MAC value is the minimum alveolar concentration at which 50% of the test persons no longer respond to a standardised surgical incentive. A MAC value of more than 100% means that only laughing gas, administered at atmospheric pressure, does not cause full anaesthesia.

Laughing gas should therefore be administered at elevated pressure or in combination with oxygen or other gaseous anaesthetics (such as Halothane or Sevoflurane).

‘Medical nitrous oxide' is a registered medicine with IJsfabriek Strombeek. The manufacture is therefore performed under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), under the supervision of a qualified person (industry pharmacist). The Federal Agency for Medicinal Products and health products checks whether the production with IJsfabriek Strombeek is indeed carried out according to the GMP.

Requirements

IJsfabriek Strombeek is a reference in the field of laughing gas (N₂O). We produce it ourselves as the only company in Belgium. Because of this we are the best placed to guide you through the use of it.

For larger quantities of medical N₂O we provide stationary storage tanks, which we refill when required by tanker.

For smaller use we can also deliver cylinders and frameworks.

Advantages

• IJsfabriek Strombeek produces exclusively laughing gas in Belgium itself.
• Because the medical laughing gas of IJsfabriek Strombeek is a registered product, it is the highest quality and the highest degree of safety for users and patients guaranteed.
• N₂O is a very safe medical gas when properly used.
• New anaesthetics are working faster in combination with laughing gas because it is absorbed very quickly by the patient.
• During the anaesthesia the patient’s breathing is better when adding laughing gas.

Delivery forms

Please note that the use of nitrous gas (either laughing gas) is subject to strict rules!