Heathcare

Medical gases play a vital role in healthcare across a wide range of clinical and technical applications. In Europe, these gases are generally considered under two categories based on their  intended use: those used as medical treatments and those used as medical devices.

Medicinal gases used for medical purposes are typically administered directly to patients for therapeutic or diagnostic effects. These include gases like oxygen for respiratory support,  nitrous oxide for anesthesia and pain relief or medical air for ventilation. Some gases are also used in mixtures, such as nitric oxide/nitrogen used in neonatal care and pulmonary hypertension treatment or oxygen/nitrous oxide for pain relief. These gases are considered part of the treatment itself and are essential in emergency care, surgery, intensive care, and chronic disease management.

Certain gases are used as medical devices, where the gas supports a procedure or equipment but is not directly involved in treating the patient. Examples include liquid nitrogen for cryotherapy and cryopreservation, carbon dioxide for cryotherapy, and argon for plasma coagulation.

Another application is the use of liquid helium (-269ºC) in sophisticated techniques such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) for cooling down MRI magnets.