Impaired neutrophil chemotaxis after cardiac surgery.

Chemotaxis of circulating peripheral neutrophils was studied in 12 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Tests of neutrophil chemotaxis were made preoperatively and 16-20 hours postoperatively, using a multipore filter assay. Statistically significant postoperative decrease was demonstrated in both stimulated and random neutrophil migration (p = 0.012 and p = 0.009, respectively). Although the peripheral neutrophil count showed a statistically significant postoperative increase (p = 0.001), the increase did not correlate to the decrease in neutrophil chemotaxis. Nor could correlation be demonstrated between the altered neutrophil chemotaxis and any per- or postoperative variables.

Electroacupuncture in anaesthesia for hysterectomy.

We have studied the effects of electroacupuncture at classical acupuncture points, applied before and during surgery in patients undergoing hysterectomy, on postoperative pain and metabolic stress responses in a prospective, randomized and patient-blinded manner. Fifty otherwise healthy women were allocated randomly to receive or not receive electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture was begun 20 min before skin incision and continued to the end of surgery. All patients received similar general anaesthesia and all received patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) after operation. Postoperative pain in the two groups was evaluated by recording analgesic requirements by PCA and by pain-rating performed by patients and nursing staff. There were no significant differences between the two groups in postoperative analgesic requirements, pain-rating or metabolic stress responses.