The microflora of the human ileum and intrabdominal colon: results of direct needle aspiration at surgery and evaluation of the technique.

Abstract

Abstract The microflora of the terminal ileum, cecum, and transverse colon was defined in 10 patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy by direct needle aspiration of the bowel; the results were compared with the microbial counts in the feces. Facultative bacteria and obligate anaerobes were generally 2 to 4 logs more frequent in the feces than in the intra-abdominal colon. The microbial counts in the transverse colon and cecum were similar. The terminal ileum harbored a relatively sparse flora, contrasting with the large concentrations of microorganisms on the other side of the ileocecal valve. Studies in dogs revealed that the needle aspiration technique could obtain reproducible samples for bacteriologic study that differed by less than 1 log from direct intraluminal specimens. The addition of nonabsorbable markers to the diluting fluid used for aspirating bowel contents somewhat increased the accuracy of the method.