Systemic stress responses after laparoscopic or open hernia repair.

OBJECTIVE: To compare systemic stress responses after laparoscopic and open hernia repair to find out if the laparoscopic approach caused less stress than an open operation. DESIGN: Prospective randomised trial. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey. SUBJECTS: 50 patients who required preperitoneal hernia repair were randomised to be treated by either the open or laparoscopic approach (n = 25 in each). INTERVENTIONS: Samples of venous blood were taken before operation and at 2, 24, and 48 hours afterwards for measurement of the concentrations of: glucose, cortisol, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), caeruloplasmin, transferrin, fibrinogen, and albumin, and counts of leucocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in these indicators of a stress response. RESULTS: Concentrations of glucose, cortisol, CRP, MDA, and CPK, and counts of leucocytes and neutrophils increased significantly, and the concentration of albumin decreased significantly, in both groups postoperatively. Lymphocyte counts were lower postoperatively but not significantly so. Concentrations of CRP, MDA, and CPK, and leucocyte counts were significantly lower in the laparoscopic group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that there is less systemic stress response after laparoscopic than after open hernia repair.