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The Jorgensen technique and nitrous oxide-oxygen sedation were evaluated for the risk of aspiration. Volunteers and patients were studied in the supine, semisupine, and Trendelenburg positions. Aspiration occurred in a single patient under the Jorgensen technique and could be related to the presence of a narcotic in the mixture. The incidence of tracheal soiling was lower than that with other intravenous techniques and could be attributed to the use of the semisupine position or the baseline concept of narcotic dosage in the Jorgensen technique. In the nitrous oxide-oxygen sedation technique, aspiration was not noted. The study suggests that use of a narcotic in an intravenous sedative technique increases the hazard of aspiration.

Blood cortisol levels of oral surgery patients were analyzed to objectively determine the effect of intravenous sedation on surgical stress. Results showed a measure of sedation but did not adequately reflect the stress of oral surgery or the changes produced by intravenous sedation.

To evaluate the hypothesis that inhalation of low levels of nitrous oxide-oxygen produces an altered state of consciousness similar to hypnosis, 20 subjects were given three suggestions (analgesia, compulsive behavior, and amnesia) during double-blind administration of either nitrous oxide-oxygen or oxygen. Results suggest that administration of nitrous oxide-oxygen may be of increased clinical usefulness if it is combined with careful use of suggestion.