Hyperbaric Nitrous Oxide as a Sole Anesthetic Agent in Humans

Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been used to produce analgesia and anesthesia for more than 100 yr. However, because of its high MAC value (1.04), general anesthesia with N2O can usually be attained only in a hyperbaric environment. Because of the sparsity of documentation for human physiologic responses to hyperbaric N2O, we studied eight male volunteers at 2 ATA (1520 mm Hg) anesthetized with N2O only for periods of 2-4 h. N2O partial pressures ranged from 836 to 1368 mm Hg. The anesthetic state was associated with tachypnea, tachycardia, increases in systemic blood pressure, mydriasis, diaphoresis, and at times, clonus and opisthotonus. A stable level of physiologic activity was difficult to maintain.