Oxygen radical production of emigrated, intra-abdominal PMNL in patients with secondary peritonitis

Oxygen radical production of emigrated, intra-abdominal and circulating pol ymorphonuclear leukocytes (ePMNL, cPMNL) were investigated in patients with secondary peritonitis. Spontaneous oxygen radical production of ePMNL and cPMNL was high in patients with peritonitis. Despite absent relaparotomy ox ygen radical production of ePMNL and cPMNL increased 24h after operation in the group with peritonitis. There was no further activation of spontaneous oxygen radical production of ePMNL with TNF-alpha in vitro. Surgical traum a alone was able to enhance PMNL emigration in the abdomen but spontaneous oxygen radical production of ePMN and cPMNL was low. In the control group T NF-alpha was able to increase spontaneous oxygen radical production of ePMN L significantly.