At Pure-Line Plumbing, we offer a wide range of residential and commercial plumbing services. We have extensive experience in this industry, including the specialized experience required to work on the plumbing systems used to distribute gases such as oxygen in medical facilities. Other examples of gases used in health care include nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and even helium. Keep reading to learn more about how helium is used in health care.
- MRI Machine Cooling – One application of helium in health care is as a cooling agent for the magnets in MRI machines. These magnets must be kept at extremely cold temperatures—as low as -450 degrees Fahrenheit—in order to function properly, and liquid helium is used to maintain these temperatures. MRI technology is an essential diagnostic tool, and helium is essential to keep this technology working.
- Surgical Applications – Another application of helium in health care is in laparoscopic surgery. This method of surgery involves inflating the area being operated on with a gas to allow surgeons to work more easily and to access the area of the patient’s body without using large incisions. When this surgical technique was first developed, carbon dioxide was the gas of choice, but more surgeons are now using helium instead, as it causes lower levels of respiratory acidosis.
- Respiratory Treatment – A third health care application for helium is as part of treatments for various respiratory issues. A mixture of helium and oxygen is often used to treat patients in respiratory distress, as this mixture is easier for some patients to inhale than pure oxygen.