For a time, carbon dioxide (CO2) has been criticized as a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. However, this versatile gas actually has applications, particularly, in the healthcare and life sciences sectors. CO2 plays a role in powering devices and facilitating groundbreaking research making it an unsung hero that saves lives on a daily basis.

Powering Minimally Invasive Surgeries

In hospitals, CO2 is utilized to operate laparoscopic surgical tools. During laparoscopic procedures, small incisions are made and CO2 gas is pumped into the abdomen to inflate it. This allows surgeons to use micro cameras and instruments for seamless surgical operations. Furthermore, the CO2 gas is also used to control bleeding during surgery. Compared to open surgeries, laparoscopic techniques using CO2 result in smaller scars, faster recovery times and reduced pain levels for patients.

Revolutionizing Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

The pharmaceutical industry is also experiencing a revolution thanks to CO2 extraction methods. Supercritical CO2 extraction enables manufacturers to isolate desired compounds from plants and flowers for use in medications and dietary supplements. This process replaces techniques that relied on solvents. The gentle nature of CO2 extraction preserves the purity and potency of active ingredients. CBD, an increasingly popular supplement touted to relieve pain and anxiety, is often derived using this green, efficient CO2 method.

Enhancing Fertility Treatments  

In fertility treatments, CO2 is used to test sperm quality at IVF clinics. Exposing sperm samples to CO2 provokes reactions that indicate how well the sperm can fertilize eggs. This enables doctors to select only the healthiest sperm and improve success rates for couples struggling with infertility. CO2 testing provides invaluable data to fertility specialists and brings joy to hopeful parents.

Advancing Medical Research

CO2 also plays a crucial role in scientific research that advances medical knowledge. By labeling compounds with carbon-14 isotope, an unstable form of carbon, scientists can visualize their journey through organism tissues and cells. This carbon tracing reveals groundbreaking insights into biological processes. Radioactive CO2 is also used to date ancient fossil remains, giving anthropologists clues about human evolution and migration over millennia.

Driving Innovation in Medical Technology

CO2 fuels cutting-edge innovation in the medical technology sector as well. For instance, supercritical CO2 is used to create tiny biodegradable capsules for drug delivery within the body. CO2 gas also assists with visualizing the gastrointestinal tract without invasive procedures. It is administered to patients during a barium meal test or colonoscopy prep to provide contrast for imaging. The expansive nature of CO2 allows doctors to clearly see the patient’s digestive system.

Enabling Life-Saving Interventions

For patients struggling with serious health conditions, CO2 also makes life-saving interventions possible. The gas is used to power cryotherapy devices that remove dangerous skin lesions and freeze nerve endings to reduce chronic pain. In sleep labs, CO2 levels in patients’ exhaled breath are monitored to diagnose breathing disorders that disrupt their sleep. Detecting these conditions can improve quality of life dramatically.

Forging Forward with medical grade nexAir Carbon Dioxide Products

Whether it involves powering surgical instruments, extracting compounds through CO2 extraction methods, evaluating sperm samples, or supporting cutting edge medical research endeavors, nexAir offers a series of CO2 products and delivery systems tailored to specific medical applications. Our medical grade CO2 undergoes meticulous purification, analysis and filtration processes to meet the required standards. By partnering with nexAir healthcare organizations can focus on advancing lifesaving work without concerns about their CO2 supply chain.

Additionally, nexAir has pioneered more sustainable production and distribution methods for medical CO2. Through renewable energy use, efficient manufacturing, and reducing miles travelled during distribution, nexAir shrinks the global carbon footprint. This allows the healthcare industry to benefit from CO2’s versatility while minimizing environmental impacts. Healthcare providers can feel confident that sourcing nexAir CO2 aligns with their sustainability missions.