Influence of Hip Arthroplasty Upon Chemotactic Behaviour of Leucocytes

Abstract

Fourteen patients treated with total hip endoprosthesis were investigated for leucocyte defects. A chemotactic assay was used as an indicator of leucocyte function. Tests were carried out preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 3 and 6. The chemotactic index started to decline on the first postoperative day, reached a peak on the third day after surgery and returned to almost preoperative values on the sixth day. The results might provide a clinical explanation for the data showing a high postoperative infection rate in total hip surgery.

Inflammatory Response to Metals and Ceramics

“…After two pioneering papers concerning mainly MMA effect on chemotaxis in vitro (Beard et al, 1976;Petty, 1978), a study on the chemotaxis of leukocytes from patients with THJ replacement suggested a relationship between decreased chemotactic ability and incidence of bacterial infection (Endler et al, 1982).…”

Postoperative lymphocytopenia and leucocytosis after epidural and general anaesthesia

“…Lymphocytes from patients operated in epidural analgesia showed an increase in blastogenesis and unchanged lymphokine activity (8). A decrease in leucocyte-chemotactic activity after operation has also been found (10). These findings indicate an influence on the lymphocytes and leucocytes by total hip replacement with acrylic cement in general anaesthesia corresponding to the influence after other types of operation (1, 3).…”