Histologic evaluation of fetal brains following maternal pneumoperitoneum

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine if maternal pneumope ritoneum with carbon dioxide (CO2) produces evidence of central nervous sys tem (CNS) injury in preterm fetal guinea pigs. Methods: Thirty pregnant guinea pigs at gestational day (GD) 45 were assign ed at random to one of three treatment groups: anesthesia only, CO2 pneumop eritoneum (5 mmHg), or laparotomy. Dams were killed 3 or 5 days postprocedu re and fetal brains (83 total) harvested and fixed for subsequent histopath ologic evaluation. For comparative purposes, histologic features of fetal g uinea pig brain injury were defined from examination of fetal brains harves ted from an additional dam that underwent laparotomy with 20 min of uterine arterial occlusion. Results: Carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum did not increase maternal/fetal mo rbidity. No evidence of brain injury was found in fetuses from any of the t reatment groups. Conclusion: Carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum at 5 mmHg for 40 min in the pre gnant guinea pig does not produce evidence of fetal brain injury.