Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Preoxygenation Techniques for Tracheal Intubation in Critically Ill Adults Utilizing Oxygen Mask and Noninvasive Ventilation
Published on: December 5, 2025
Heliox in airway management
Jane M McGarvey1, Charles V Pollack
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Pennsylvania Hospital, 800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. jane.mcgarvey@uphs.upenn.edu
Abstract:
Helium-oxygen ("heliox") mixtures have been used for decades in the treatment of various respiratory problems ranging from acute upper airway obstructions to lower airway derangements, such as asthma and exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. This review presents a brief history of helium and helium-oxygen mixtures and their potential clinical uses, summarizes the results of past research into heliox in respiratory applications, explains the physiology of heliox, and presents more recent literature relating to heliox in the clinical setting.
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