N₂O laughing matter: Self-adjusted nitrous oxide takes the pain out of prostate cancer screening procedure

Each year, more than a million transrectal biopsies are performed in the United States. The primary technique for diagnosing and monitoring prostate cancer, a transrectal biopsy, entails removing tissue from the prostate gland by inserting a thin needle through the rectal wall. Patients are awake for the procedure, and though typically given a nerve block to prevent pain during the procedure, many patients still experience physical and psychological discomfort.