Gut microbiome, surgical complications and probiotics

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Surgical Infectious Diseases
• Microbiome Research
• Host-Microbe Interactions

Background:

• Major abdominal surgery classically leads to infectious complications via bacterial translocation from a compromised gut.
• Surgical interventions, antibiotics, and physiological stress significantly alter gut microbiome diversity, favoring pathogenic bacteria.
• Host stress responses and hormonal changes can induce bacterial virulence, promoting invasion.

Approach:

• This review synthesizes current research on the gut microbiome's role in post-colon surgery complications.
• It examines the impact of various medical and surgical interventions on microbial balance.
• The therapeutic potential of probiotics in restoring gut homeostasis is evaluated.

Key Points:

• Gut microbiome dysbiosis is a critical factor in post-operative infectious complications.
• Interventions like antibiotics and nutritional deprivation exacerbate microbial imbalance.
• Probiotics show promise in restoring microbial diversity and reducing infectious risks.
• Bacterial virulence is dynamically regulated by host stress and microbial sensing.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the gut microbiome is crucial for managing infectious complications after major abdominal surgery.
• Probiotics represent a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate these complications by modulating the microbiome.
• Further research is needed to optimize probiotic use in surgical and critically ill patients.