[Effect of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on the translocation of intestinal endotoxin/bacteria in rats]

To evaluate the effect of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on the translocation of intestinal endotoxin/bacteria.

The ampicillin-resistant E. coli JM109 labeled with plasmid PUC18 was given by gavage to 48 rats to detect the translocation of intestinal bacteria. Hydrochloric acid was peritoneal inoculated to the rats to induce acute chemical peritonitis. The rats were randomly allocated to the control group without pneumoperitoneum (n = 16), the experimental groups with low insufflation (5 mmHg of carbon dioxide, n = 16) and with high insufflation (15 mmHg of carbon dioxide, n = 16). The blood endotoxin in the femoral veins were detected every hour. The ampicillin-resistant E. coli JM109 were identified by restricted digest and agrose gel-electrophoresis. The rats were killed at the end of the 3 hour experiment and blood samples from the portal and mesenteric lymph nodes were taken for culture. The levels of SIgA in the plasma and the intestinal mucosal were detected by radioimmunoassay.

The blood endotoxin in the femoral veins of the rats increased significantly 1 hour after the induction of pneumoperitoneum with 15mmHg of carbon dioxide (P < 0.01) and continued to increase with time. The plasma and intestinal mucosal SIgA of the rats decreased significantly (P < 0.01) after 3 hours of exposure to 15 mmHg of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum. The bacterial translocation rates from intestinal to portal were 0%, 25% and 50% for the control, 5 mmHg and 15 mmHg groups respectively, and 12.5%, 25%, and 75% from intestinal to mesenteric lymph nodes for the three groups respectively.

Carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum increase intestinal Endotoxin/bacterial translocations and the effect increases with pressures.