Impact of laparoscopic surgery on stress responses, immunofunction, and risk of infectious complications

Open laparotomy is followed by profound changes in endocrine metabolic function and various host defense mechanisms, impaired pulmonary function, and hypoxemia, all of which may be important for the development of postoperative infectious complications. Laparoscopic surgery, however, leads to a reduced inflammatory response (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6), a reduced immunomodulatory response, improvement in pulmonary function, and less hypoxemia, whereas classic endocrine metabolic responses are less influenced or not influenced compared with similar open operation. The clinical implications of laparoscopic surgery on postoperative infectious complications have not been assessed in large-scale prospective, randomized studies, except in appendectomy, in which a reduced incidence of wound infection has been demonstrated. Data from cholecystectomy and colorectal surgery suggest a reduction in wound complications, whereas the sparse data on intraperitoneal infections and sepsis are not conclusive. Thus, laparoscopic surgery modifies the injury response and reduces the risk of infectious complications. If integrated into an accelerated rehabilitation program, further improvement may result. The impact of these findings on prophylactic antibiotic regimens cannot be assessed from available data and requires evaluation in prospective clinical studies.