Abstract

PIP: Carbon dioxide was previously used as the inflating gas during laparoscopic sterilization. It has been largely replaced by nitrous oxide because the carbon dioxide caused undesirable side effects following absorption. Nitrous oxide will support combustion when mixed with hydrogen and/or methane. Both these gases are present in sufficient proportion in intestinal gas. The temperature at diathermy electrodes is higher than necessary to support an explosion of the surrounding gas mixture. Xenon is another gas which could be used as a laparoscopy inflating gas, but it is much more expensive than nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide. Due to the danger of explosion with nitrous oxide, the use of carbon dioxide is recommended.