Hepatic distress syndrome in surgery: concept, pathogenesis, prevention and correction

Abstract

To establish the universality and regularity of hepatic disorders, their role in pathogenesis of homeostasis impairment and determine scientific base for a new syndrome - hepatic distress syndrome in surgery. Chronic experiments on outbred dogs were carried out. Acute peritonitis was simulated in the first group (n=15), acute destructive pancreatitis in the second group (n=15), acute obstructive intestinal obstruction in the third group (15). In the fourth group, experimental acute peritonitis (n=15) was followed by Remaxol infusions (20 ml/kg). Liver function was evaluated using the indicators of endogenous intoxication, lipid metabolism markers, as well as composition of lipids in liver tissue. Clinical studies included 44 patients with peritonitis (the first subgroup - standard therapy (n=20), Remaxol infusion in the second subgroup (n=24), severe acute pancreatitis (n=18), acute adhesive intestinal obstruction (n=20)). Patients underwent surgery. Along with routine indicators, we analyzed severity of endogenous intoxication, lipid peroxidation, phospholipase activity, serum lipids and red blood cell count. Experimental and clinical studies have shown significant liver damage in all diseases with various pathogenesis. Regardless of urgent disease, one of the leading component is membrane-destabilizing process. The last one is determined by excessive activity of membrane lipid peroxidation and phospholipases in liver tissue. Severe abnormalities are followed by impairment of liver detoxification ability and liver may be a source of toxins per se. Remaxol infusion in the treatment of experimental and clinical acute peritonitis increased liver tolerance to trigger pathogenetic agents. This process resulted improvement of laboratory and clinical parameters. In general, we obtained high significance of liver damage in pathogenesis of acute urgent abdominal pathology. Experimental and clinical data for determining hepatic distress syndrome as important aspect in acute abdominal surgical diseases have been obtained. Hepatic distress syndrome in surgery is a combination of abnormal processes with progression of endogenous intoxication, oxidative stress and phospholipase activity following membrane-destabilizing phenomena and secondary liver dysfunction.