[Changes in plasma concentrations of human hepatocyte growth factor before and after major intra-abdominal surgery...

The measurements of human hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF) in plasma and liver function tests were performed in 23 patients before and after major intra-abdominal surgery under nitrous oxide-sevoflurane anesthesia. Plasma concentrations of hHGF in 12 patients with normal liver function (Group 1) and in 11 patients with liver dysfunction (Group 2) were 0.34 +/- 0.07 and 0.44 +/- 0.12 ng.ml-1 (mean +/- SD) before the surgery, respectively. After the surgery, plasma concentration of hHGF remained unchanged in Group 1, but significantly increased to 0.61 +/- 0.32 ng.ml-1 in Group 2. Other routine laboratory data reflecting hepatic functions remained unchanged in both groups. These results suggest that liver damage during surgery and anesthesia occurs more likely in patients with liver dysfunction than in patients with normal liver function, and hHGF can be a more sensitive indicator of hepatic damage than conventional liver function tests.