Microbiologic effects of atmospheric conditions used in operative laparoscopy.

We tested whether the atmospheric conditions used in operative laparoscopy were responsible for its low infection rate. A plexiglass chamber was used to recreate the atmospheric conditions in an operative laparoscopic procedure with CO2 pneumoperitoneum, including a CO2 atmosphere, gas flow and temperature control. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were exposed to this atmosphere and their growth compared to that on control plates exposed to standard culture conditions. The ratio of colony growth on experimental versus control plates was 1.08 +/- 0.19 SD for Staphylococcus and 1.13 +/- 0.66 SD for E coli. We noted no direct inhibitory effect of the pelviscopic atmosphere upon microbiologic growth. The factors responsible for pelviscopy's low infection rate remain obscure.