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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Topical Airway Anesthesia for Awake-endoscopic Intubation Using the Spray-as-you-go Technique with High Oxygen Flow
Published on: January 13, 2017
Ventilation with nitrous oxide during open cholecystectomy increases the incidence of postoperative hypoxemia
M Maroof1, R M Khan, M Siddique
1Department of Anesthesiology, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
The effect of intraoperative use of air versus nitrous oxide (N2O) on postoperative oxygen (O2) saturation in blood was evaluated in 40 ASA Class I and II patients undergoing elective, open cholecystectomy. Patients were allocated randomly to two groups on the basis of whether they received air (Group A, n = 20) or N2O (Group B, n = 20) intraoperatively. Oxygen saturation was recorded on arrival of the patients in the ward, 24 h, and 48 h postoperatively. Although mean O2 saturation did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between the groups over the first 24 h postoperatively, it was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Group A as compared to Group B 48 h postoperatively. Incidence of hypoxemia (O2 saturation < 90%) was 40% in Group B as compared to 0% in Group A at the end of 48 h postoperatively. We conclude that the use of N2O during cholecystectomy is associated with a higher incidence of hypoxemia postoperatively.
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