Bacteriologic contamination during laparoscopy with methylene blue injection

ABSTRACT

The prevalence and nature of bacterial contamination occurring in the peritoneal cavity after transcervical Methylene blue dye injection during the laparoscopic procedure, was studied in 50 sub-fertile women by culturing samples of peritoneal fluid aspirated before and after injection of Methylene blue dye. In 15 out of the 50 patients endocervical swabs were taken just before the laparoscopic procedure for bacteriological culture. It was found that bacteria were carried with the dye into a previously sterile peritoneal cavity in 30 women [60%], and the source of this bacterial contamination was the lower genital tract. Most of the organisms were present in low concentration not exceeding 10[5] organisms / ml. These findings might explain the absence of cases of acute salpingitis after Methylene blue dye injection in this study, but selective use of antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended