Why is carbon dioxide and not oxygen used to inflate the cavity in laparoscopic surgery?

Laproscopic surgery was first performed in 1902 by Georg Kelling in Dresen, Germany on a canine. As someone previously stated, an oxygen environment supports combustion and carbon dioxide does not. Initially, manual scalpels with electrical cauteries were used, which used heat to cauterize the bleeding vessels. We now use YAG and CO2 lasers which incise and cauterize at the same time. None of the above is compatible with high oxygen environments. By the way, it is highly unlikely that an air embolism would occur with either gas

Because if oxygen were used then some would get into the arterial blood supply when cuts are made during the surgery, this would form an air embolism and the patient would die on the table. Carbon dioxide is readily absorbed and the only lasting effects is some gas and burping after the procedure. I used to work for a medical company and heard the story where they were inflating a guys urinary bladder using just an aquarium pump and everything was going along fine and the guy just put his head back and died. Since then carbon dioxide is used.

Because during laparascopic procedures, often there are times where cautery and/or lasers are used. They are used to burn tissue. With the presence of O2, you would create a flammable environment. CO2 is non-flammable and readily absorbed into the tissues. That is why, after a laparascopic procedure, a patient might experience the feeling of "gas" in their shoulders, back, stomachs, etc. That means that not all of the CO2 used during surgery was expelled prior to closing the small incisions. The residual CO2 then "settles" back into the tissues, which then causes mild pain. It usually subsides within one to two days.

because the carbon dioxide is not flammable, as is oxygen. there are uses of laser in lappy surgeries--which would you rather hae them use? co2 is readily absorbed into the tissue

and oxygen supports combustion--your choice.