Tumor implantation during laparoscopy using different insufflation gases – an experimental study using cultured cancer cells

Recent work using an experimental model in our laboratory has shown that the likelihood of tumor implantation at laparoscopy port‐sites following laparoscopy might be influenced by the specific gas used for insufflation. In particular helium insufflation was associated with less port site metastases. The model entailed an inbred rat strain and a tumor cell suspension of mixed heterogeneity, native to the rat strain. To determine whether our previous findings could be reproduced using a different model, we investigated the effect of insufflation with either helium or carbon dioxide gas on the implantation of a purified cell suspension of cultured cancer cells. Thirty‐eight Dark Agouti rats were randomized to undergo a 40 minute period of laparoscopic insufflation with either helium or carbon dioxide (19 animals in each group/three different experiments). Three laparoscopy ports were placed and 2 × 10 5 cultured mammary adenocarcinoma cells were introduced into the abdominal cavity at the beginning of the p...