Could Carbon Dioxide Replace Antibiotics In Surgery?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009 - 10:28
in Earth & Climate
Filling a surgical wound with carbon dioxide gas could reduce infection and improve healing. A wound could continuously be flooded with carbon dioxide gas during surgery. Carbon dioxide could prevent airborne bacteria from reaching the wound and would also suffocate germs. CO2 is already used for this purpose in the food packaging business. Humidified CO2 would also keep the wound warm and moist, which should reduce tissue damage and speed-up healing.