Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Sep;19(5):347-352.
doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000299.

The role of the microbiota in surgical recovery

Monika A Krezalek  1 , John C Alverdy
Affiliations

The role of the microbiota in surgical recovery

Monika A Krezalek et al. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to highlight new research findings in the complex bidirectional crosstalk that occurs between the intestinal microbiome and the host immune system in the context of surgical recovery and outcomes.

Recent findings: Significant evidence has been generated emphasizing the central role of the intestinal microbiome on surgical outcomes such as wound healing, surgical site infections and anastomotic leak. Current preventive strategies, including the use of some parenteral antibiotics, may actually exacerbate the problem by selecting for drug-resistant pathogens.

Summary: A delicate balance exists between the human host and its microbial counterparts that is directly related to postsurgical healing. This balance can be easily altered in favor of the pathogen through perioperative and surgical interventions leading to intestinal dysbiosis and loss of colonization resistance. Current strategies to prevent infectious complications with the escalating use of broader and more powerful antibiotics are not an evolutionarily stable strategy. A more complete understanding of the ecological and molecular interactions of the host with its microbiome is necessary to uncover new therapeutic strategies that preserve the composition and function of the intestinal microbiome and constrain virulent pathogens through the course of surgical injury.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. El Aidy S, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Immune modulation of the brain-gut-microbe axis. Front Microbiol. 2014;5:146. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Carabotti M, Scirocco A, Maselli MA, Severi C. The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Ann Gastroenterol Q Publ Hell Soc Gastroenterol. 2015 Jun;28(2):203–9. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Young RP, Hopkins RJ, Marsland B. The Gut-Liver-Lung Axis. Modulation of the Innate Immune Response and Its Possible Role in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2016 Feb;54(2):161–9. - PubMed
    1. Maranduba CM da C, De Castro SBR, de Souza GT, Rossato C, da Guia FC, Valente MAS, et al. Intestinal microbiota as modulators of the immune system and neuroimmune system: impact on the host health and homeostasis. J Immunol Res. 2015;2015:931574. This review provides an excellent summary of our current knowledge regarding the influence of human gut microbiota on health and disease states through the modulation of the immune and neuroendocrine systems. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sánchez B, Gueimonde M, Peña AS, Bernardo D. Intestinal microbiota as modulators of the immune system. J Immunol Res. 2015;2015:159094. - PMC - PubMed