title: Laparoscopic cecal ligation and puncture in the rat. Surgical technique and preliminary results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We describe a technique of laparoscopic cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in the rat analogous to open CLP which may facilitate the study of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and peritonitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four rats were randomized to either laparoscopic or open CLP and their 3-day mortality was recorded. Autopsies were performed for peritoneal fluid cultures, measurement of the length of ligated cecum, and scoring of the degree of cecal necrosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laparoscopic CLP required slightly longer operating times compared to open CLP (average 15.6 vs 13.1 min, p = 0.002). Three-day postoperative mortality was 36.4% and 22.7% for open and laparoscopic CLP, respectively (p = NS). There were no differences in the length of ligated cecum or the cecal necrosis score between the open and laparoscopic CLP groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic CLP is feasible and produces a fecal peritonitis with similar characteristics to those of traditional open CLP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California Davis Medical Center, 4301 X. Street, Room 2310, Sacramento, CA 85917, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berguer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alarcon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gutt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002432:Cecum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D009336:Necrosis; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011677:Punctures / Q000379:methods*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors