The hormonal and inflammatory responses to pelvic reconstructive surgery following major trauma

Patients undergoing trauma sustain an initial injury followed by further physiological challenges during surgery. Plasma osteocalcin (OC), a marker of osteoblastic activity, declines after major surgery. Increased cortisol secretion, and other components of the perioperative stress response, may play a role in mediating this response. We have examined the osteocalcin, hormonal and cytokine responses in twenty patients undergoing post-traumatic pelvic reconstruction surgery. We measured plasma osteocalcin, serum cortisol, bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations for up to 3 days after surgery. We recorded an increase in IL-6, IL-10 and epinephrine concentrations perioperatively and a fall in OC and BSAP concentrations. There were no significant changes in cortisol or IL-8 concentrations. Patients undergoing pelvic reconstruction surgery following trauma have a preserved inflammatory and catecholamine response but the cortisol response may be obtunded. Osteocalcin concentrations are affected by factors other than glucocorticoids.