The effect of anaesthesia and surgery for benign disease of the upper urinary tract on circulating leucocyte subpopulations identified with monoclonal antibodies

1434-0879

Anaesthesia ; Lymphocyte subsets ; Monoclonal antibodies ; Flow cytometry

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Summary Circulating lymphocyte subpopulations were monitored, using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry, in six patients undergoing surgery for benign disease of the upper urinary tract. A significant decrease in the total number of circulating lymphocytes was observed. This could be attributed to a significant decrease of T cells of both major subsets — the so-called T “helper” (Th) and T “suppressor/cytotoxic” (Ts) subpopulations. When the results of the T cell subsets were expressed as a ratio (leu-3a+/leu2a+, T “helper/suppressor”) no significant change was noted. In contrast neither B cells nor natural killer (NK) and antibody dependent killer (K) cells were significantly affected. This selective loss of T cells from the circulation may be relevant to post operative infection and should be considered in the course of immunological monitoring.

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