Medical Gases

The medical industry relies on oxygen (O2) to treat and prevent cases of insufficient oxygen in the body. Oxygen treats conditions like hypoxemia (low blood oxygen) and hypoxia (low oxygen in body tissues). Additionally, it’s commonly used for resuscitation and inhalation therapy.

Oxygen is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and is commonly shipped in compressed gas cylinders at pressures from 2,000 – 2,600 psi. When converted to liquid form, it’s shipped in vacuum-insulated liquid can containers with pressures that range from 22 – 600 psi.

Nitrous oxide (N2O), or “laughing gas,” is commonly identified as a medically specific gas. It’s often combined with other agents, such as oxygen, for use as anesthesia and analgesia. N2O is a clear, colorless oxidizing liquefied gas with a sweet odor that’s stable at room temperature.

Nitrogen (N2) is used to power many medical devices, especially in places that do not have instrument air. It can be used as a cryogenic element to preserve and freeze blood, tissue, and other biological specimens. Additionally, it can be used in cryosurgical procedures to freeze and destroy diseased tissue.

Like oxygen, this inert gas is commonly shipped in cylinders with pressures between 2,000 – 2,600 psi. In liquid form, it’s shipped in liquid can containers of pressures ranging from 22 to 600 psi.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is used for insufflation, which is the process of blowing air, gas, or powder into a bodily cavity. This procedure is ideal for surgeries such as laparoscopy, arthroscopy, and cryotherapy, as it grants greater visibility and access to specific surgical areas.

Additionally, it can also be combined with oxygen for respiratory stimulation, and under temps of -76°, it can be used for cryotherapy to destroy body cells. CO2 is an odorless, colorless gas that can exist as a gas, liquid, or solid. However, it’s typically used as a gas and stored in a vacuum-jacketed tank before medical use.

Helium (He) is commonly used both as a liquid and as a gas. As a liquid, it helps MRI systems achieve a state necessary to produce high-resolution body images while limiting radiation exposure. Helium is also extensively used in laboratories for leak detection and as a temperature standard.

Gaseous helium is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and is commonly shipped in cylindrical containers at pressures between 2,000 – 2,6000 psi. In liquid form, it’s shipped in vacuum-insulated aluminum containers at very low pressures.

Medical professionals use ethylene oxide (EO) to sterilize more than 50 million medical devices across the country to prevent infection and disease. CK Supply works diligently to protect the health and safety of the public according to EPA and OSHA standards for EO production and handling.

Argon (Ar) is a promising medical gas used as a surgical tool for analyses and quality control. It involves Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC), a non-contact technique that uses argon as plasma gas to prevent bleeding at surgical sites.

This element has been shown to have useful narcotic and protective components in the medical field and has been used to treat conditions such as Traumatic Brain Injury.