Impact of General Anesthetics on Postoperative Infections-A Narrative Review

Abstract

Postoperative infections represent the most frequent complication after surgery. Anesthetic agents, while essential during surgical procedures to ensure unconsciousness, are becoming increasingly recognized as modulators of immune function. Volatile anesthetics have been identified as being able to attenuate the inflammatory response in diverse experimental models. Propofol, a widely used intravenous anesthetic, has also been described to exhibit strong anti-inflammatory mechanisms. This review synthesizes current cellular, experimental, and clinical evidence on the immunomodulatory effects of anesthetic agents, highlighting their impact on host defense mechanisms and postoperative infections. By exploring mechanistic properties and clinical outcomes, it underscores the importance of anesthetic choice in enhancing immune function and postoperative recovery.

Keywords: anesthetic agents; immune modulation; postoperative infection.

Figure 1

A summary of the immunomodulatory effects of anesthetic agents. Some anesthetics may provide immunological benefits by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine release, enhancing neutrophil activity, and preventing excessive inflammation and tissue damage. However, they may also have detrimental immune consequences, including suppression of T cell and antibody responses, weakening of host defense, and delayed wound healing, particularly with prolonged exposure. This balance highlights the importance of anesthetic choice in modulation of postoperative immune responses. Created with BioRender.com.