Abstract
Infectious postoperative complications occur commonly after hepatectomy and may lead to a long hospital stay or death. The potential beneficial effects of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in this setting were evaluated in a model of hepatectomy and sepsis in rodents. Incidence of bacterial translocation was measured in animals on days 1,2, and 5 after partial hepatectomy. Macrophage function was quantified by in vitro tumoricidal activity and Superoxide anion (O[unk]) production. Survival after partial hepatectomy and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was recorded. After partial hepatectomy, bacterial translocation was decreased on days 1 and 2 in animals pretreated with IFN-γ (p < 0.05). Macrophages from animals treated with IFN-γ had higher in vitro tumoricidal activity and production of O[unk] (p < 0.05). Hepatectomized animals pretreated with IFN-γ had an increased survival after CLP (p < 0.05). IFN-γ may be useful in decreasing the incidence of infectious complications after partial hepatectomy.
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