MINIMAL INCREASE IN SERUM INTERLEUKIN-6 LEVELS DURING LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

The chronologic changes in the serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a mediator for acute-phase inflammation, were compared between laparosc opic cholecystectomy (LC) and open cholecystectomy (OC), since these t wo types of operations were considered to be a unique model for examin ing the role of local tissue injury in postoperative inflammatory reac tions. The increase in the serum IL-6 level during LC was found to be significantly smaller than that during OC and resulted in a smaller ex tent of postoperative elevations for C-reactive protein, These results suggest that laparoscopic surgery associated with minimal tissue inju ry can help limit an increase in the serum IL-6 level during surgery, thus contributing to a reduction in surgical stress.