RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The intermittent Pringle maneuver remains the major technique for controlling hemorrhage during liver surgery. Nevertheless, this procedure involves a risk of triggering a cascade of pathological changes resulting in the ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) effect. The pharmacological prevention of this I/R injury represents a promising approach. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of pharmacological preconditioning with sevoflurane and propofol-based intravenous anesthesia on the postoperative function of the liver as the primary end-point. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study includes the analysis of the data of 73 patients who underwent liver surgery. In the study group (n = 41), preconditioning with sevoflurane inhalation was provided 30 minutes prior to liver resection. In the control group (n = 32), sevoflurane preconditioning was not provided. The primary endpoints were blood lactate concentration shortly after the surgery and one day later; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities on postoperative Days 1, 3, and 5 as markers of hepatocyte damage. RESULTS: On postoperative Day 1, in patients of the study group, lactate decreased to preoperative levels, while in the control group, lactate content increased as compared to both preoperative levels and the levels immediately after liver resection. A significant difference in AST activity levels between the groups was registered on Day 5, although this difference was not clinically relevant. The decrease in the prothrombin index in the study group on Day 3 was superior to that in the control group. The multiple regression analysis demonstrated a moderate positive association between the number of resected liver segments and the markers of the functional state of the liver in the study group while in the control group, such association was not significant. CONCLUSION: The protective effect of sevoflurane on the postoperative function of the liver is manifested by the lower level of blood lactate and the stable level of transaminase activity.