Central nervous system metabolic and physiologic effects of laparoscopy.

We set out to determine whether the increases in intracranial pressure (ICP) associated with CO2 insufflation had any metabolic effect on the central nervous system in a head injury when compared with gasless laparoscopy (GL). To test this hypothesis, we looked at both the ICP and jugular bulb venous saturation (JVS), with and without a coexisting cerebral mass lesion. Twenty-five kilogram male pigs had tracheostomy, epidural balloon, pulmonary arterial catheter, arterial line, and jugular bulb catheter placed. Intravenous Pentobarbital was used for anesthesia. Either CO2 laparoscopy (CL; n=7) or GL (n=7) were performed both with and without an epidural balloon inflated to a baseline ICP of 25. Data were analyzed using the Student's t test with a P value <0.05 being significant. Cerebral perfusion pressure and most hemodynamic values did not differ. Both central venous pressure and peak inspiratory pressure were significantly elevated whenever CO2 insufflation took place, reflecting an increased intrathoracic pressure. When comparing both study groups, the partial pressure of CO2 did not differ. CL increases ICP significantly above the gasless group in our head injury model. This is most likely secondary to increased intrathoracic pressure. The question still remains whether these changes are clinically significant. We could not demonstrate significant metabolic effects secondary to laparoscopy. In patients suffering head injury, GL rather than CL might be safer to avoid ICP elevation. Additional studies looking at central nervous system metabolic and objective histopathologic effects should be undertaken with larger numbers of study animals.