Medical gas therapy | |
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Other names | Therapeutic gas |
Specialty | pulmonology gaseous signaling molecules |
Medical gas therapy is a treatment involving the administration of various gases. It has been used in medicine since the use of oxygen therapy.[1] Most of these gases are drugs, including oxygen.[2] Many other gases, collectively known as factitious airs, were explored for medicinal value in the late eighteenth century. In addition to oxygen, medical gases include nitric oxide (NO), and helium-O2 mixtures (Heliox). Careful considerations and close monitoring needed when medical gases are in use. For the purpose of this article only gas mixtures are described.