INFLUENCE OF A CO2-PNEUMOPERITONEUM ON IN TRAPERITONEAL TUMOR-GROWTH IN AN ANIMAL-MODEL

Clinical observations during recent years describe the increased occur rence of rapid intraperitoneal metastases and an impairment of prognos is if a malignant tumour was operated laparoscopically, It is not know n whether the observed Induction of intraabdominal metastases after la paroscopic surgery in the result of an inadequate surcigal procedure w ith spillage of tumour cells into the abdominal cavity or whether pneu moperitoneum-induced changes of the peritoneal milieu promote tumour g rowth, An animal model was established to examine the effect of a CO2- pneumoperitoneum on the intraperitoneal growth of tumour cells, Six we ek old nude mice were divided into 4 groups of 15 animals each, A CO2- pneumoperitoneum was induced by a micro-hysteroflator with an intraper itoneal pressure of 6 mmHg for 90 minutes in groups 2 and 4. Two diffe rent tumour cell lines, suspended in 2 mi of Ringer's solution for hom ogeneous spread of the cells, were injected i. p. The control groups 1 and received the tumour cells without pneumoperitoneum. The induction of a CO2-pneumoperitoneum resulted in an increasing seeding rate of t umour cells and provoked a significant increase in the number and size of intraabdominal metastases. Laparoscopic surgery of malignancies is therefore contraindicated.