Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are complications of surgical procedures, the most of times underdiagnosticated. ln laparoscopic surgery, the carbon dioxide insuflation into the peritoneal cavity is probably the cause of venous stasis of the lower limbs. The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of pneumoperitoneum in the blood circulation of the lower limbs. Thirty female pigs were divided in three groups: 1- without pneumoperitoneum; I - with 10 mmHg; and II - with 15 mmHg of abdominal pressure levels. Within the clinical parameters were analysed heart rate, cardiac output and mean arterial pressure to certify that the haemodynamic changes would not be gilty for the modifications of lower limbs circulation. This analysis did not find significant changes in the groups comparation. The results showed that were not found significant changes in the pressure, diameter and flow rate in the femoral artery in the presence of pneumoperitoneum. The average femoral venous pressure found in group I was 7.2 mmHg, in group II was 10.2 mmHg (p<0.05), and in group 11I was 14 mmHg (p<0.05). The average femoral venous flow rate was 9.8 cm/sec in group I; 6.8 cm/sec in group II (p<0.05) and 5.5 cm/sec in group 11I (p<0.05).The analisys of the femoral vein diameter found that the average value of group I was 4.2 cm; group II was 5 cm (p<0.05) and group III was 5.4 cm (p<0.05). The pneumoperitoneum was found to be associated with a significant increase of the pressure and diameter of the femoral vein, and a significant decrease of its flow rate. Every parameter analysed returned to the previous values after the peritoneal gas empting.
Pneumoperitoneum; Laparoscopy; Venous stasis