Infection following surgery is not uncommon. Human leucocytes play a vital role in the body

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The effects of local, i.v. and volatile anaesthetic agents on locomotion of human blood leucocytes were studied in vitro. Blood neutrohpils and monocytes and PHA-activated lymphocytes were allowed to migrate in filters towards standard chemotactic agents and the effect of adding anaesthetic agents to the system was measured. The results showed that locomotion of all cell types was depressed reversibly by all classes of anaesthetics used at clinical concentrations. The pattern of depression varied according to the cell type under study and the class of anaesthetic used. The action of anaesthetics on chemically stimulated locomotion of leucocytes was analysed. It was concluded that the principal action of these drugs is primarily on the mechanism of locomotion itself, rather than on the capacity of the cells to detect and respond to concentration gradients of attractants. Serum albumin can protect against the inhibitory action of anaesthetics.

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Chemotactic migration of leucocytes is one of the earliest and essential events among the host defense mechanisms against infection. Therefore, the influence of anaesthesia and surgery on leucocyte chemotaxis was investigated in patients requiring elective surgery. The chemotactic migration of peripheral blood leucocytes was measured by a modification of Boyden's method immediately before and after operation and on the second and third postoperative days. In addition, the influence of exposure to different molar concentrations of thiopentone on chemotactic migration was investigated in vitro. A statistically significant inhibition of leucocyte chemotactic migration was observed in the immediate postoperative period. (P less than 0.05). However, this inhibition was of short duration and chemotactic activity returned to normal on the day after operation under general anaesthesia. Exposure to thiopentone produced a significant and dose dependent inhibition of chemotactic migration in vitro. It is concluded that surgery under general anaesthesia and exposure to thiopentone in vitro produce a significant though reversible inhibition of chemotactic migration of leucocytes.

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