A 30-year-old resident of Tel Aviv was rushed to the Poriya Medical Center near Tiberias with severe neurological symptoms, including seizures, memory loss, and ringing in the ears. Doctors quickly identified the root cause of these symptoms: deliberate inhalation of laughing gas used in balloons.
The medical team at Poriya Hospital contacted the patient’s family, who brought a cylinder of gas from siphons for whipping cream to the hospital. This cylinder contained 2.2 liters of gas, much larger than the household canisters typically abused by Israeli teenagers and young people. By administering appropriate treatment, including mechanical ventilation, doctors were able to save the patient’s life. However, further tests will be necessary to determine the extent of neurological damage and whether it is permanent.
Dr. Moshe Maruf at Poriya Hospital has noted a concerning trend: an increasing number of cases involving the abuse of gas from household siphons, particularly among young people and teenagers. Many individuals are unaware of the harmful effects of prolonged inhalation of this gas on their nervous and immune systems, which can lead to brain damage, seizures, and chronic psychotic states. It is essential that we raise awareness about these dangers to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The patient’s family brought a cylinder containing 2.2 liters of gas used in siphons for whipping cream to the hospital after receiving a call from doctors at Poriya Hospital asking them to bring it in for examination.
If it weren’t for timely intervention by doctors at Poriya Hospital, this resident could have faced irreversible damage or even death due to their deliberate inhalation of laughing gas used in balloons.
Doctor Moshe Maruf has observed an increase in cases involving the abuse of gas from household siphons among young people and teenagers.
Many individuals do not understand how prolonged exposure to this gas can lead to serious harm to their nervous and immune systems.
Brain damage, seizures, and chronic psychotic states are just some examples of how prolonged exposure can affect individuals negatively.
It is crucial that we raise awareness about these dangers so that such incidents do not occur again.
Doctors administered mechanical ventilation as part of appropriate treatment after identifying that it was caused by deliberate inhalation using balloon-filled laughing gas.
