[Does laparoscopic treatment of abdominal infections generate bacteremias? Prospective study: 75 cases].

Laparoscopy is increasingly used in conditions complicated by peritonitis. A theoretical concern is that carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum may increase bacteraemia. In a prospective study 90 patients were treated by laparoscopic appendicectomy. 30 of them had no histological abnormality; 30 had an acute appendicitis and 30 an acute peritonitis. 75 patients were eligible for the study. The treatment protocol (surgery-antibiotherapy) was the same for the 3 groups. All patients had blood cultures before, during and after insufflation of CO2 in the peritoneum, and bacterial examination of the operative site. Septic morbidity was evaluated for each patients. Positive bacterial culture from abdominal site are correlated with the pathologic findings. There were no positive blood cultures in the groups studied and no incidence in term of septic morbidity. This study suggests that laparoscopic treatment of septic abdominal diseases does not facilitate bacteriemias and does no affect septic morbidity.