[Perioperative inflammation]

Surgical interventions and invasive procedures can trigger an inflammatory reaction in patients. This inflammatory reaction is an inherent response by the body and can be triggered by different stimuli, including the surgical tissue trauma itself and also by the administration of drugs commonly used for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia.

Immune system activation is mostly beneficial for the host defense against various exogenous pathogens during infectious disorders; however, if uncontrolled and overshooting or in the case of excessive immune system activation as a consequence of sterile inflammation, the inflammatory host response may also carry the risk for tissue and organ damage, which might severely threaten the patient. The aim of this article is to identify the causal factors of a perioperative immune reaction and to present interventional options.

An extensive MEDLINE search was carried out on the perioperative and postoperative inflammatory response in the field of clinical and basic research.

Current publications provide essential information on how surgical patients may be affected by overshooting inflammatory responses. Thus, the choice of administered anesthetic agent and the surgical trauma itself in addition to a supportive therapy may modulate perioperative inflammation in the perioperative phase. The effects on the patient can be multifarious.

This article discusses the causes and effects of inflammatory processes in the perioperative phase. Additionally, it highlights the immunomodulatory effects of perioperatively administered therapeutics and anesthetics. Knowledge of this topic enables the reader to make qualified decisions in the perioperative setting to improve the individual patient outcome.