Nitrous oxide procedural sedation in non-fasting pediatric patients undergoing minor surgery: a 12-year experience with 1,058 patients.

Background: Nitrous oxide's safety and efficacy for minor procedures is an alternative to general anesthesia, complex sedation protocols, or local anesthetic alone.

Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively-collected data (2000-2012) identified 1,058 children who received single-agent nitrous oxide for minor surgery.

Results: Children (n = 1,058, male 42 %, female 58 %) aged 1-23 years (mean = 9.

Nitrous oxide analgesia for minor pediatric surgical procedures: an effective alternative to conscious sedation?

Background/purpose: Minor surgical procedures in children, while usually not requiring general anesthesia, need effective control of pain, anxiety, and motion. Certain techniques of conscious sedation may result in loss of protective airway reflexes. Nitrous oxide, however, when inhaled at levels below 50% maintains protective reflexes and does not require fasting or postprocedure monitoring.