title: Heliox in airway management.
abstract: Helium-oxygen ("heliox") mixtures have been used for decades in the treatment of various respiratory problems ranging from acute upper airway obstructions to lower airway derangements, such as asthma and exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. This review presents a brief history of helium and helium-oxygen mixtures and their potential clinical uses, summarizes the results of past research into heliox in respiratory applications, explains the physiology of heliox, and presents more recent literature relating to heliox in the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Pennsylvania Hospital, 800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. jane.mcgarvey@uphs.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McGarvey
authors.forename: Charles V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Pollack
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006371:Helium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D006371:Helium; C038949:heliox; D010100:Oxygen