[Impact of anesthetic technic (general anesthesia versus intradural anesthesia) on the immune status].
OBJECTIVE
To study changes in the immune system appearing after general and regional (intradural anesthesia).


METHODS
Fifty patients scheduled for elective surgery to repair inguinal hernias were studied. The patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups: group A patients received general anesthesia and group B patients received intradural anesthesia. Blood was extracted 5 times to determine levels of lymphocytes, activated T cells and B lymphocytes, and T-suppressant activity: t0 (before surgery), t1 (1 h), t2 (4 h), t3 (24 h) y t4 (7 days).


RESULTS
The patients in group A showed slight increases in T lymphocytes, activated T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes, whereas T-suppressant activity decreased significantly. All lymphoid population decreased in group B. Baseline levels had recovered in both groups by 7 days after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Anesthetic procedures have an effect on immune responses but the impact is only temporary.
Muriel
C
C
Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca.
García-Sánchez
A
A
Sánchez
F
F
Zaballos
A
A
Nicolás
J
J
Mella
G
G
Sánchez
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D008875:Middle Aged
Influencia de la técnica anestésica (anestesia general frente a raquianestesia) en el estado inmunológico.