Abstract
Microvascular free flap surgery is a complex method of wound closure for large wounds. Tissue trauma, surgical stress and general anaesthesia are known immunosuppressors that may exacerbate postoperative infections. Beta-herpesviruses HHV-6 and HHV-7 are immunomodulating viruses highly prevalent in the population of healthy individuals, which can interfere with the function of the host immune system. These viruses can be reactivated in immunosuppressed conditions. The aim of this study was to monitor the potential effects of two different anaesthesia techniques - general anaesthesia (GA) and regional anaesthesia (RA) - on the activation of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infection in relation to changes in the total lymphocyte count and peripheral immune cell distribution after microvascular free flap surgery. We found significant increase in the frequency of active HHV-7 infection after surgery (p < 0.05) in the GA group. In the RA group changes were not significant. The activation of HHV-7 infection was associated with decrease in the total lymphocyte count post-operatively in patients from the GA group. The data of our study show that reconstructive flap surgery under GA is linked with more frequent postoperative lymphopenia, which is a potential post-operative immunosuppressor that probably triggers the activation of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infection