Influence of local anaesthesia and local hypothermia on leucocyte, temperature, and transferrin response to surgery
Schulze, S.; Rye, B.; Møller, I.W.; Kehlet, H.
Danish Medical Bulletin 39(1): 86-89
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0907-8916 PMID: 1563299 Document Number: 404232
Leucocyte counts, rectal temperature, P-cortisol, P-glucose, P-transferrin, P-orosomucoid, P-IgM and hematocrit were investigated in 24 men undergoing inguinal herniotomy. The patients were randomised to epidural analgesia (n = 8), local infiltration anaesthesia (n = 8) or local infiltration anaesthesia plus local wound hypothermia with ice bags (n = 8). The rectal temperature rose (p < 0.01) in patients randomised to epidural analgesia but not in the other groups. However, blood granulocyte and acute phase protein changes were similar in all groups. The neural blockade was sufficient in all patients as judged by lack of increase in P-cortisol and P-glucose. Thus, local infiltration anaesthesia and wound hypothermia could not prevent the inflammatory response to small clean surgery.