There are numerous uses of carbon dioxide in modern anesthesia. It is used :
• To increase depth of anesthesia with volatile anesthetic agents by stimulating respiration.-
• To increase cerebral blood flow during carotid artery surgery.
• To produce hyperventilation during blind nasal intubation.
• To stimulate the respiration after artificial hyperventilation.
• It may be of help in production of hypothermia due to vasodilatation.
• To avoid hypocarbia during cardiopulmonary bypass.
The other uses of carbon dioxide include the following :
• In production of pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopy.
• In cryoprobes.
• In the production of Laser light for surgical procedures.