[Effect of ulinastatin on inflammatory responses induced by oesophagectomy]

To examine the effect of ulinastatin (UTI) on the inflammatory responses induced by oesophagectomy.

Forty patients with esophageal cancer (without serious hypertension, heart disease, or respiratory function impairment, including 34 men and 6 women aged 46 to 70 years) scheduled for oesophagectomy via left thoracotomy were randomly divided into control group (n=20) and UTI group (n=20). Anesthesia induction and perioperative management followed the same protocols in the two groups, and in UTI group, patients received 5000 U/kg UTI while those in the control group were given the same volume of saline. Before operation (T(1)), 10 min after recovery of two-lung ventilation (T(2)), and 24 h (T(3)) and 48 h (T(4)) after operation, the venous blood sample was taken from the internal jugular vein and the plasma was separated and stored at -70 degrees C for later analysis of IL-6 and IL-8 with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The bronchoalveoar lavage fluid (BAFL) was also collected at T(1) and T(2) for IL-6 and IL-8 detection.

IL-6, IL-8 levels in the plasma and BALF collected at T(2)-T(4) increased significantly as compared with those in samples collected at T(1), and their peak concentration inplasma and BALF samples were similar. IL-6 and IL-8 levels in the UTI group were significantly lower than those in the control group during the time points of T(2)-T(4).

Inflammatory responses occur during and after oesophagectomy, which can be inhibited with UTI.