Update on anaesthesia and the immune response.

Abstract

The available evidence supports the concept that anaesthetic agents influence a wide variety of specific and non-specific host defences. However, the precise role of anaesthesia alone in the pathogenesis of perioperative infection remains to be defined. Although large amounts of data demonstrate postoperative impairment of the immune response, further studies are necessary to correlatein vivo andin vitro studies of immunocompetence and the occurrence of postoperative infections. Anaesthetic-induced depression of immune system is short-lived and reversible; however, this depression can influence perioperative morbidity and mortality in the susceptible patients. By understanding the nature of these defects, and by meticulous preoperative and intraoperative management, we may be able to prevent the perioperative morbidity and mortality.