Cytokines in anaesthesia

The scope of cytokine biology is fascinating with widespread applicationsanticipated in many areas of medical science. We have emphasized thefundamental roles that cytokines play in the control of normalimmunological functions, defence mechanisms and normal cell growth, and howmajor surgery and trauma can affect these processes. It remains to bedetermined if morbidity and mortality may be improved after major illnessand surgery by altering cytokine production and function.