Potential effect of two different anaesthesia techniques on the activation of hhv-6 and hhv-7 infection in relation to changes in total lymphocyte count and peripheral immune cell distribution after prolonged microvascular free flap surgery

Arnis Vilks (Corresponding Author), Santa Rasa, Simona Doniņa, Modra Murovska, Biruta Mamaja

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

Microvascular free flap surgery is a complex method of wound closure for large wounds. Tissue trauma, surgical stress and general anaesthesia are known immunosuppressors that may exacerbate postoperative infections. Beta-herpesviruses HHV-6 and HHV-7 are immunomodulating viruses highly prevalent in the population of healthy individuals, which can interfere with the function of the host immune system. These viruses can be reactivated in immunosuppressed conditions. The aim of this study was to monitor the potential effects of two different anaesthesia techniques - general anaesthesia (GA) and regional anaesthesia (RA) - on the activation of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infection in relation to changes in the total lymphocyte count and peripheral immune cell distribution after microvascular free flap surgery. We found significant increase in the frequency of active HHV-7 infection after surgery (p < 0.05) in the GA group. In the RA group changes were not significant. The activation of HHV-7 infection was associated with decrease in the total lymphocyte count post-operatively in patients from the GA group. The data of our study show that reconstructive flap surgery under GA is linked with more frequent postoperative lymphopenia, which is a potential post-operative immunosuppressor that probably triggers the activation of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infection.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)216-221
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Section B: Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences
Volume68
Issue number5-6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2014

Keywords*

  • anaesthesia
  • HHV-6
  • HHV-7
  • lymphocytes
  • surgery

Field of Science*

  • 3.2 Clinical medicine

Publication Type*

  • 1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database

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