[Immunological changes during the immediate postoperative period (author's transl)]

Abstract

Postoperative variations in the different parameters of humoral and cellular immunity were studied in 18 adult patients in general surgery. Levels of immunoglobulins G (igG) fell and those of immunoglobulins M (igM) increased significantly. Lymphocytic proliferation under the influence of PHA showed a significant fall. Neither polynuclear function nor total complement activity were modified. Patients in whom the postoperative course was complicated by sepsis differed from the others by a lower activity of the lymphocyte transformation test and by a higher level of igG and igM on the day prior to surgery. In addition, deficiency in the lymphoblastic transformation test increased during the postoperative period, there was a further fall in IgG and IgM increased less in these patients than in those in whom the postoperative course was uncomplicated.