Impact of anesthetic technic (general anesthesia versus intradural anesthesia) on the immune status

OBJECTIVE: To study changes in the immune system appearing after general and regional (intradural anesthesia). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty patients scheduled for elective surgery to repair inguinal hernias were studied. The patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups: group A patients received general anesthesia and group B patients received intradural anesthesia. Blood was extracted 5 times to determine levels of lymphocytes, activated T cells and B lymphocytes, and T-suppressant activity: t0 (before surgery), t1 (1 h), t2 (4 h), t3 (24 h) y t4 (7 days). RESULTS: The patients in group A showed slight increases in T lymphocytes, activated T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes, whereas T-suppressant activity decreased significantly. All lymphoid population decreased in group B. Baseline levels had recovered in both groups by 7 days after surgery. CONCLUSION: Anesthetic procedures have an effect on immune responses but the impact is only temporary.