What is in this leaflet
Please read this leaflet carefully before you receive this treatment. It provides a summary of the information known about your treatment. If you have any questions or are unsure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Remember, this treatment is for you. It may harm someone else if they receive it even if their symptoms appear to be the same as yours. So do not give this treatment to anybody else. Keep this leaflet. You may wish to refer to it again.
What Medical Oxygen is used for
Note that Liquid Medical Oxygen is used for storage and transport purposes only, not for treatment, as such.
Medical Oxygen (gaseous) is used whenever you are not getting enough oxygen into your blood. This situation is called hypoxia. You can suffer from hypoxia if you have breathing difficulties due to respiratory disease, chest wounds or rib fractures. Hypoxia is also seen if you are in shock, bleeding badly, have a heart attack, have other heart problems, or have carbon monoxide poisoning. In these situations, oxygen will help you breathe more easily.
Oxygen is also used as a diluent for other gases used during an anaesthetic.
Your baby may be given Medical Oxygen if born prematurely or having breathing problems.
Before you take Medical Oxygen
If you are not sure if you should be taking Medical Oxygen, talk to your doctor.
There are no special circumstances which would stop you taking Medical Oxygen.
Remember, Oxygen enhances combustion, so there should be no smoking or any naked flames when Medical Oxygen is in use.
Medical Oxygen does not interact with any other types of medicines you may be taking and will not be affected by any food or drink. Medical Oxygen treatment will not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
How to take Medical Oxygen
Your doctor or nurse will decide how much Medical Oxygen you need. You will usually breathe the gas in via a face mask. You must always breathe in at least 21% Oxygen. If you are elderly, you should increase the amount of Oxygen you breathe in gradually (1% at a time) but you should not take in more than 30% Medical Oxygen.
Babies should not be given more than 40% Medical Oxygen.
What to do if you miss a treatment
If you forget to take Medical Oxygen, take it as soon as you remember.
What to do if you take too much
Under normal circumstances, at normal atmospheric pressure, you are very unlikely to take too much Oxygen. Anyone who breathes Oxygen for 2 to 3 hours at 2 or more atmospheres pressure, (such as deep sea divers, people in hyperbaric chambers, or some sportsmen and women), may suffer from dizziness or convulsions, or lose consciousness.
If you feel dizzy or light-headed when using Medical Oxygen, either reduce the amount you are breathing in or preferably stop the treatment for a while. These effects will then wear off and you can then start therapy again if it is necessary.
While you are taking Medical Oxygen
Things you must do
Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be checked.
Tell your doctor if you suffer from chest soreness, coughing and breathing difficulties.
Things you must not do
Do not smoke. Smoking will result in breathing difficulties while taking Medical Oxygen.
Side effects
Patients may experience coughing, breathing difficulties, dizziness, convulsions and loss of consciousness after several hours of exposure of Medical Oxygen. Premature infants may experience retrolental hyperplasia (blindness) at very high concentrations (above 40%) of oxygen.
Liquid oxygen may also give you cold burns and/or destroy tissues.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are using Medical Oxygen.
After taking Medical Oxygen
Storage
Medical Oxygen is supplied to the hospital or clinic or doctor and they will be responsible for ensuring the container is stored in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
(Cryogenic) Liquid Medical Oxygen is used for storage (and transport) purposes only, not for treatment, as such.
Disposal
Medical Oxygen is supplied to the hospital or clinic or doctor and they will be responsible for ensuring the container is returned to the manufacturer.
Product description
What it looks like
Medical Oxygen (gaseous) is a colourless, odourless gas supplied in a pressurised gas cylinder with a valve. The gas cylinder contains only Medical Oxygen. The gas cylinder’s colour is white body with a white shoulder. Cylinder sizes include 1.4L, 2.8L, 9.5L, 23L, 50L, 6 pack 300L; 12 pack 600L.
Medical Oxygen (cryogenic liquid) is medical oxygen in bulk containers. It is present as a colourless (cryogenic) liquid in flasks 120L to 400L and tanks/tankers/seatainers 1500L to 60,000L as measured by nominal water capacity.
Ingredients
Active
Oxygen 100% v/v.
Manufacturer/Distributor/Supplier
Coregas Pty. Ltd.
66 Loftus Road. Yennora. NSW. 2161
Medical Oxygen (gaseous): AUST R 34472.
Medical Oxygen (cryogenic liquid): AUST R 199515.
This leaflet was revised in March 2015.
Instruction for Use/Handling
Care is needed in the handling and use of Medical Oxygen gas cylinders.
Refer to the respective S.D.S and the “caution” section of the product label.
For Liquid Medical Oxygen, the extreme cold can lead to “cold burns”/ destruction of tissue.
Preparation for use with Pin Index Valves
- Cylinder valves should be opened momentarily prior to use to blow any foreign matter out of the outlet.
- Ensure that the connecting face on the yoke, manifold or regulator is clean and the sealing washer or ‘O’ ring where fitted is in good condition.
- Cylinder valves must be opened slowly.
- Only the appropriate regulator should be used for the particular gas concerned.
- Cylinder valves and any associated equipment must never be lubricated and must be kept free from oil and grease.
Preparation for use with Integrated Regulator Valves
- Connect oxygen tubing to “fir tree” outlet on top of the integrated regulator valve.
- Connect oxygen equipment to sleeve index on the side of the integrated valve regulator.
- Open the integrated regulator valve slowly.
- Select desired flow rate on top of integrated regulator valve.
Leaks
- Should leaks occur this will usually be evident by a hissing noise.
- Leaks can be found by brushing the suspected area with an approved leak test solution.
- There are no user serviceable parts associated with these valves, do not attempt to correct any problems with leakage from any part of the valve itself. Label any faulty containers appropriately and return them to Coregas for repair.
- Sealing or jointing compounds must never be used to cure a leak.
- Never use excessive force when connecting equipment to cylinders.
Handling of Cylinders
- Cylinders should be handled with care and not knocked violently or allowed to fall.
- Cylinders should only be moved with the appropriate size and type of trolley.
- When in use cylinders should be firmly secured to a suitable cylinder support.
- Cylinders containing liquefiable gas must always be used vertically with the valve uppermost.
- Medical gases must only be used for medicinal purposes.
- Smoking and naked lights must not be allowed within the vicinity of cylinders or pipeline outlets.
- After use cylinder valves should be closed using moderate force only and the pressure in the regulator or tailpipe released.
- When empty the cylinder valve must be closed.
- Immediately return empty cylinders to the empty cylinder store for return to Coregas.
Published by MIMS November 2019