Clinical relevance of the B 12 /N 2 O interaction A report of a seminar

Summary The interaction of nitrous oxide and vitamin B 12 and its implications are not the exclusive territory of any one discipline. The initial discovery was by a chemist but it is of obvious relevance to anaesthetists and intensivists; some complications are neurological others haematological. The interaction provides an extremely important research tool as the first easily available B 12 ‐deficient animal model. Finally there are implications for exposure to contaminated atmospheres in hospitals and in industry.