[The effect of surgical trauma on the level of plasma iron]

The serum iron level drops in many diseases and after bone fractures or elective surgical operations. The aim of this study was to determine if the degree of stress hypoferremia depends on severity of the operation. Serum iron concentration and TIBC was measured during two weeks in 37 patients. The first group consisted of 29 patients operated for ingunal hernia or cholelithiasis. It was laparoscopic cholecystectomy or classical or laparoscopic hernia repair. These types of operations were considered as mild surgical stress. The second group consisted of 8 patients with colon cancer, who had segmental colon resection. This operation was considered as severe surgical stress. The patients with colon cancer had significantly lower preoperative serum iron level. After operations, profound but temporal drop in serum iron concentration was observed in both groups of patients. TIBC drops but not so significantly. The diagrams illustrating changes of iron concentration after operations looked similar in both groups.

The changes of iron concentration after abdominal operations are independent of the severity of surgical stress.