Xenon anesthesia has long been used in medicine and is the safest method of pain relief. But xenon anesthesia is not often used in both private and public clinics due to some features. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of anesthesia with xenon, the technique of performing anesthesia, reviews and contraindications.
What is xenon?
Xenon is an inert gas, contained in small quantities in the air. It belongs to the group of noble gases, does not transform and does not interact with the body, getting inside. It is excreted quickly and easily through the respiratory tract.
In the course of many studies, scientists have proved that gas does not cause mutations, deformities, oncological diseases, does not affect the fetus during use as anesthesia in pregnant women, and does not negatively affect the woman's reproductive function. Many doctors are confident that xenon is the safest method of anesthesia, since it practically does not cause side effects.
Application
Xenon anesthesia is a method of inhalation analgesia. It is used for surgical interventions, medical procedures that cause severe pain in the patient, for relief of pain syndromes. Gas can be used for anesthesia either alone or in combination with other means in the complex. The scope of xenon in anesthesia is similar to anesthesia with nitrous oxide.
Where is xenon anesthesia used?
- traumatology, surgery (including emergency), orthopedics - in particular its effectiveness and safety has been proven when used in patients with impaired cardiovascular system;
- neurosurgery - during brain surgery, it is important to have verbal contact with the patient, and also to check his motor activity during surgery;
- pediatric surgery - there are options for the use of xenon in masks and endotracheal form;
- gynecology and obstetrics - diagnosis of pathologies, abortion and surgical delivery;
- during a biopsy, painful enough for some, as well as when treating skin that is significantly damaged by burns;
- removal of a pain attack - it can be traumatic shock, colic (renal or hepatic), emotional stress, and in other cases.
Xenon anesthesia is performed only on specialized equipment, it is done by a specialist who has previously been trained and received a certificate for this type of anesthesia.
Benefits of using
Xenon anesthesia has many advantages over traditional anesthesia methods.
Pros of using xenon as an anesthetic method:
- gas does not harm the body, moreover, it normalizes the work of the cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous systems;
- the introduction and removal of the patient from anesthesia sleep, which occurs 2-4 minutes after surgery, is controlled by a doctor;
- anesthesia is applied by inhalation, and not by injection;
- the analgesic effect occurs quickly;
- It is indicated for use during the period of bearing the baby and those who have individual intolerance to certain drugs;
- pain relief lasts a long time, so it is easier for the patient to tolerate the postoperative period;
- xenon is non-toxic, does not react with the body and does not irritate the mucous membrane;
- acute pain stops completely;
- blood pressure does not decrease, as with other types of anesthesia;
- the general condition of the patient improves after applying xenon, there are no side effects from such anesthesia.
Over the duration of the action of the anesthetic, the doctor controls all the physiological indications of the patient, including receiving information about the depth of anesthetic sleep. The advantages include a wide range of xenon, which does not cause allergic reactions at all. Gas can be used repeatedly, it is not addictive.
disadvantages
Despite the large number of obvious advantages, there is one serious disadvantage of xenon anesthesia - the cost. The price for this method of anesthesia increases the cost of surgery for at least five times. For example, in Russia, the starting price for anesthesia is from 10,000 rubles.
The high cost of gas is due to the complexity of cleaning. Only six countries in the world produce pure xenon. Cost reduction is possible. Modern innovative technologies allow the use of xenon during surgical interventions repeatedly, re-collecting the gas that the patient exhaled. But he must go through the cleaning process, which is possible only with the help of special equipment. If the composition of the gas mixture is disturbed, this can lead to hypoxia and hypercapnia.
Xenon anesthesia technique
Xenon anesthesia is performed only using modern and expensive equipment, which not every clinic can afford. It is important to monitor all indications of the patient’s health during sleep.
Xenon anesthesia technique does not differ from traditional anesthesia options, for example, nitrous oxide. The patient prepares for surgery, lies down on the operating table and puts on a mask. Through it, xenon begins to enter the human body and after 4-5 minutes. the surgeon can get to work. During surgery, the xenon concentration in the patient's body may fluctuate. In order that the fluctuation does not cause pain or premature awakening, analgesics and sedatives are administered to the patient.
Awakening and removing a person from anesthesia with xenon lasts several minutes, on average over 15 respiratory cycles. According to reviews, xenon anesthesia during excretion does not cause dizziness, vomiting and nausea, as it can be with traditional anesthesia. Most patients note that after surgery using this anesthesia, they simply woke up without feeling pain, and this did not affect the general condition.
There are also such patients who were unsatisfied with xenon anesthesia. This is primarily due to the high cost, which not everyone can afford.
Features use in dentistry
Two types of analgesia that dentists use in their practice are widely known - injection anesthesia and general anesthesia. Almost all children are afraid of injections, and some adults are wary of this. In addition, with such anesthesia, the patient is conscious, and the experience of this does not become less. General anesthesia can greatly affect the patient’s health, especially the child’s body.
There is a third type of anesthesia called sedation: a person is in a state close to sleep, does not feel pain, but retains all his reflexes. In this case, anesthesia is used with nitrous oxide and oxygen, which can cause serious damage to the body. Recently, xenon anesthesia has been increasingly used in dentistry, which does not cause side effects, and therefore can be used in patients regardless of age.
How is xenon treated?
- the doctor puts on a mask and allows the patient to breathe xenon for several minutes - during this time the patient relaxes, the fear disappears, and when the mask is removed, the effect remains;
- treatment of the oral cavity is carried out - the patient is conscious, fulfills the doctor’s commands, but there is no feeling of fear and pain;
- within a few minutes after dental procedures, xenon is excreted from the body, without limiting the patient’s activity - you can even drive immediately.
The advantages of using xenon in dentistry are that you can cure several teeth at once, remove a tooth painlessly, insert an implant, or even have a minor surgery. Remediation of the oral cavity occurs painlessly, without a gag reflex, and therefore can be used in children even younger children.
Xenon through the eyes of an anesthetist
The first xenon experiments were conducted back in 1941. It was then that the sedative properties of gas were revealed. The idea of using inert gas as anesthesia appeared in 1991. In 1999, Russia was officially allowed to use xenon for anesthesia.
Anesthetists note that xenon is an ideal anesthetic for the patient. It is non-toxic, non-explosive, chemically stable, odorless and colorless. It is used for anesthesia in 12 European countries. Doctors say that xenon delivers oxygen even to non-ventilated areas of the lungs, saturating them. Also, experts note that it has a cardioprotective effect, it was tested for myocardial infarction. The patient was allowed to breathe a mixture of xenon and oxygen in a ratio of 50:50 or 70:30 and the patient's condition gradually improved.
The benefits of xenon after chemotherapy in cancer patients are also noted. After xenon anesthesia, they did not vomit. The effectiveness of xenon has been proven in the field of pulmonology, where it is used as inhalation. In general, anesthetists and patients in the reviews note the benefits of using this type of anesthesia.
Contraindications
There are no obvious contraindications to the use of xenon as anesthesia. Despite the high efficiency and safety, gas is not used for surgical intervention in the respiratory system, as well as for the localization of large main vessels. This is due to the fact that the process of supplying gas to the body may be disrupted.
Xenon is not used in individuals with alcohol dependence, since the drug has an exciting effect on the neurons of such patients.
Conclusion
Xenon anesthesia, the price of which is many times higher than traditional anesthesia, has many advantages according to the reviews of both anesthetists and patients. It is actively used in various fields of medicine and can be used even for young children. Xenon anesthesia does not cause side effects and is the safest method of pain relief.