Effects of laparotomy, and carbon dioxide and air pneumoperitoneum, on cellular immunity and peritoneal host defences in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of laparotomy, and insufflation of carbon dioxide and air, on the immune system in rats.


METHODS
Randomised laboratory study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital, Turkey.


METHODS
77 Wistar rats randomly allocated to 2 groups one of which was sensitised with dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB, n = 43) and one of which was not (n = 34).


METHODS
The DNFB group was sensitised and subdivided into control (n = 8), laparotomy alone (n = 7), and insufflation with carbon dioxide (CO2) for 30 and 60 mins (n = 7 in each) or room air for 30 and 60 mins (n = 7 in each). A week later DNFB was reapplied to the ears. In the group not sensitised with DNFB the animals were subdivided similarly, the corresponding numbers in each group being, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, and 5.


METHODS
Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) measured by ear swelling in the DNFB group, and peritoneal bactericidal activity, total free peritoneal cell counts (TPC), and cell types in the non-sensitised group.


RESULTS
There were significant differences in the degree of ear swelling in the DNFB group between control and laparotomy groups (p = 0.0001) and between control and both insufflations of air (p = 0.002 and p = 0.0003, respectively). In the non-sensitised group peritoneal bactericidal activity was significantly increased after 7 hours in the 60 mins air insufflation group (p = 0.04). At 24 hours there were no differences among the groups. TPC were not affected. The number of peritoneal polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) was significantly higher in the laparotomy alone group than in the control or any of the insufflation groups (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Laparotomy and air insufflation depressed cell-mediated immunity. Peritoneal bactericidal activity was affected only after 60 minutes of air insufflation.
Daphan
C E
CE
Department of General Surgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Agalar
F
F
Hascelik
G
G
Onat
D
D
Sayek
I
I
D000388:Air; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007813:Laparotomy; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011028:Pneumoperitoneum, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene