Bacterial translocation during peroperative colonic lavage of the obstructed rat colon.

Peroperative antegrade colonic lavage is often performed before primary anastomosis in emergency colonic surgery. The influence of colonic lavage on bacterial translocation from the obstructed colon was determined. Forty female Wistar rats were studied in four groups: (1) control; (2) non-obstructed with lavage; (3) obstructed; and (4) obstructed with lavage. Ligature obstruction of the rectum was performed in groups 3 and 4. Some 4 days later 35S-radiolabelled Escherichia coli was inoculated into the colon of all animals. Groups 2 and 4 underwent colonic lavage. Lavage in the group 4 animals with left-sided colonic obstruction significantly increased the levels of E. coli in regional nodes, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and blood (as assessed by organ culture and scintillation counting) compared with those in groups 1, 2 and 3 (P < 0.05). These results suggest that peroperative lavage of the obstructed colon significantly increases the level of bacterial translocation.