Nitrous oxide is used in surgery and dentistry as an anaesthetic and analgesic agent. It is used: 1) In the relief of severe pain, usually in emergency situations, by inhalation with 50% oxygen 2) In short-term procedures which inevitably involve pain, such as wound and burn dressing, wound debridement, and suturing 3) In dental work to provide short-term analgesia for tooth extraction and other brief procedures, administered with 50% oxygen 4) Occasionally as an insufflating agent in laparoscopy 5) In cryosurgery as a refrigerant