Carbon dioxide (CO2) embolism is a complication of laparoscopic surgery that, although often does not have adverse sequelae, can be fatal. This is due to the fact that when CO2 is injected into the blood vessels, the bubbles impede blood flow, which clinically expresses as: decreased stroke volume, hypoxemia, sudden fall or sudden increase in expired CO2, bradycardia, hypotension, dyspnea, cyanosis, arrhythmias, bilateral mydriasis, murmur in a mill wheel at auscultation and cardiovascular collapse with cardiorespiratory arrest. In this article we will present physiology of venous embolism, diagnosis, syntoms, treatment and prevention.