Why might artificial respiration be needed during an operation?

During an operation, artificial respiration may be required to maintain proper levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood when a patient is under general anesthesia.1

This is particularly common when general anesthetics are combined with drugs that block neuromuscular impulse transmission, which are administered to relax muscles and facilitate surgical procedures. Because these drugs can affect the patient's ability to breathe spontaneously, medical professionals use artificial respiration—often in the form of mechanical ventilation—to ensure the patient continues to receive adequate oxygen throughout the surgery. Additionally, as general anesthetics are potent agents that can depress respiratory function, close monitoring of breathing is a fundamental safety requirement during any surgical procedure.123