Inhaled nitrous oxide during the make stitches : Randomized double blind prospective study

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Pain Management
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Inhaled nitrous oxide (MEOPA) offers short-term analgesia for spontaneously ventilating patients via mask.
• It provides pain relief during procedures without causing memory impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of MEOPA for pain management during suturing procedures.
• To compare MEOPA's effectiveness against a placebo in an emergency setting.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, prospective study involving 115 patients over 16 years old undergoing suturing.
• Patients were randomized to receive either MEOPA or a placebo.
• Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), with subcutaneous xylocaine administered if VAS exceeded 30%.

Main Results:

• MEOPA significantly reduced VAS scores during suturing (11.1% vs. 47.8%) and post-procedure (5.2% vs. 27.6%) compared to placebo (p=0.000).
• No significant difference in minor adverse events was observed between the groups (22% vs. 16%, p=0.306).

Conclusions:

• MEOPA is a safe, non-invasive analgesic technique for suturing.
• The technique demonstrates significant efficacy in pain reduction and is well-tolerated by patients and appreciated by healthcare providers.