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Analgesia units that alleviate pain through patient inhalation of a gas or mixture of gases. These units typically consist of a device that mixes nitrous oxide and oxygen from two gas cylinders in a previously selected proportion and delivers it to the patient using appropriate inhalers; the mixture must have not less than 20% to 30% oxygen content. Inhalation analgesia units help patients retain consciousness while pain sensations are subdued; they are mostly used in dentistry, but they have also been used for women in labor, in emergency care, and for minor surgery.
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