title: Redistribution of granulocytes in patients after major surgical stress.
abstract: Major surgery induces a stress response characterized by granulocytosis in peripheral blood, and increased secretion of adrenaline and cortisol. The purpose of this study was to investigate the redistribution of granulocytes in response to major surgical stress. Granulocytes were isolated from eight surgical patients and eight healthy volunteers, labelled with Indium-111-tropolone, and reinjected. The distribution of granulocytes was imaged with a gamma camera and calculated by an interfaced computer before surgery and at 2, 4 and 6 h after the end of surgery. The volunteers served as a control group. In the hours after surgery the radioactivity of the area around the surgical field increased to 410.7% of initial values, while the radioactivity of the spleen decreased to 77.5%. In conclusion, the spleen constitutes a readily mobilizable source of granulocytes. This in vivo model demonstrates pronounced postoperative efflux of granulocytes to the area around the surgical field within hours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toft
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tønnesen
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Helbo-Hansen
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lillevang
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002469:Cell Separation; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014334:Tropolone
chemical_list: D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D014334:Tropolone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D004837:Epinephrine