Phagocytosis during general anesthesia in man

Latex particle phagocytosis and reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium by leukocytes was inhibited during general anesthesia when 18 patients were anesthetized with either halothane and nitrous oxide or nitrous oxide-thiopentalphils per 100 cells contained latex and 15.7 less monocytes per 100 cells contained latex. This represents a decrease of 17 and 28 percent, respectively, from preanesthetic values. The number of resting and latex-stimulated neutrophils reducing nitrobule tetrazolium was decreased 1.3/100 and 5.3/100, respectively, and the number of resting and stimulated monocytes reducing nitroblue tetrazolium was decreased 2.6/100 and 10.7/100, respectively. Phagocytosis was inhibited similarly by the two forms of anesthesia. The inhibition of phagocytosis during anesthesia in relatively healthy patients is minimal and its clinical significance has yet to be determined.