The function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes after surgical trauma.

The effect of surgical trauma on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was studied by measuring the hexosemonophosphate shunt (HMS) activity and myeloperoxidase mediated iodination during phagocytosis. Patients submitted to elective general surgery showed normal iodination capacity and normal HMS activity in their PMN cells postoperatively. This implies that postoperative infectious complications are not caused or promoted by defective PMN cell function. Iodination was found significantly (p less than 0.05) impaired in phagocytosing PMN cells from burned patients whereas it was found normal in traumatic and septic conditions. No direct relation between extent of injury and degree of leukocyte impairment was found. HMS activity remained normal in burned patients suggesting that the impaired iodination might depend on a defective mobilization of lysosomal enzymes.