[Bacterial translocation. Its role in the etiology of sepsis and multiple organ failure].

Under certain conditions or diseases the microorganisms that normally inhabited in the gastrointestinal tract reach the mesenteric lymph nodes, the portal circulation, the intra and extraperitoneal organs and the systemic circulation creating the possibility of infection, sepsis and multiple organ failure. This phenomenon has been termed bacterial translocation and although was described few decades ago, today it has regain critical importance due to the association to the multiple organ failure syndrome in critical and severely injured patients. In this review a series of pathologies where the translocation of bacteria has been demonstrated are described as well as the possible therapeutics maneuvers.