Abstract
Bacterial translocation from the gastrointestinal tract into the mesenteric lymph nodes was studied in 39 patients operated on for colorectal carcinoma and in eight patients operated on for non-malignant colorectal diseases. Bacterial translocation was more common into lymph nodes with metastatic carcinoma than in uninvolved lymph nodes in patients with colorectal tumours and in lymph nodes from patients with benign colorectal diseases. More aerobic grampositive cocci were isolated from uninvolved lymph nodes than from involved lymph nodes and aerobic gram-negative rods were only recovered from uninvolved lymph nodes. There were more anaerobic strains found in the involved nodes compared to the uninvolved nodes. Postoperative infections related to the surgical procedure occurred in one patient. Measurable concentrations of cefoxitin, cefuroxime and metronidazole were found in the lymph nodes of the patients receiving these antimicrobial agents.