Effects of Nitrous Oxide on Serum Vitamin B12, Folate and Hematopoiesis in Surgical Patients / 대한마취과학회지

ABSTRACT

The administration of nitrous oxide can cause bone marrow depression like that aasociated with vitamin B12 defieiency and hematologic abnormalities. We investigated whether the addition of nitrous oxide for up to 4 hours to isoflurane anesthesia causes injury to 40 healthy laminectomy patients. In each patient, serum vitamin B12, folate and hematologic parameters (RBC, Hb, MCV, MCHC, WBC, platelet, reticulocyte, neutrophil) were measured on preinduction and postoperative 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th day. Fourty patients divided into two groups randomly. In group 1 (n=20), 100% oxygen plus 1.0-2.0 vol% isoflurane was given; Group 2 (n=20), 50 % nitrous oxide, oxygen plus 1.0-2.0 vol% isoflurane was given. The results were as follows; 1) Comparing with the serum vitamin B12 and folate in both groups, there were no statistical signifieant changes between two groups until postoper- ative 7th day. 2) Nitrous oxide using 4 hours didn't influence on the hematologic parame ters until postoperative 7th day. This study suggests that the administration of nitrous oxide for up to 4 hours didnt influence on serum vitamin B12, folate and hematologic parameters until postoperative 7th day. But further studies may be necessary for more prolonged anesthetic time and methods regarding nitrous oxide.