[Intestinal bacterial translocation in patients with biliary tract diseases]

To determine whether intestinal bacterial translocation occurs in man, the authors cultured the tissues of mesenteric lymph nodes(MLNs), bile, portal and peripheral venous blood obtained prior to and during operation in 35 patients with biliary diseases. No positive peritoneal swab, portal blood and peripheral blood culture were shown. Thirteen of 20 patients with biliary obstruction (65%) had bacteria in their MLNs, while no positive MLN culture was found in 12 patients without biliary obstruction. The most common bacteria recovered from the MLNs were Gram-negative enteric bacilli. Thus, it is considered that extrahepatic biliary obstruction may induce intestinal bacterial translocation in man.