Quebec suspends nitrous oxide gas in surgery over contamination fears

MONTREAL • Quebec’s top public health officer suspended the use of nitrous oxide gas in children’s surgery and in pediatric dentistry across the province on Monday after a Quebec City hospital discovered the presence of an unacceptably high concentration of the carcinogenic benzene in gas cylinders.

Authorities discovered that cylinders containing what is commonly known as laughing gas were found to be contaminated with liquid hydrocarbons at Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, at a hospital in Roberval, and in a private dental clinic, Dr. Horacio Arruda said in a statement sent to all health institutions.

On Tuesday afternoon, the government added two more hospitals to the list of those with a confirmed inventory of unsafe gas: Sacré-Coeur in Montreal and a community hospital in the Gaspé. Authorities have zeroed in on two suppliers of nitrous oxide as possible sources of the contamination, and say they believe the problem to be contained within Quebec.

Noémie Vanheuverzwijn, a spokeswoman for the Quebec Health Department, said the government is not aware of any patients falling ill as a result of inhaling the benzene or other hydrocarbons.

“This is a preventive measure that we’re taking,” she said.

A toxicological analysis has been ordered, the results of which will be known Wednesday.

A number of questions remain unanswered for now, including how the cylinders became contaminated, how the contamination was discovered and why the health department did not issue a public advisory. The Montreal Gazette became aware of the issue through a source.