Halothane, surgery, immunosuppression and artificial pulmonary metastases

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Abstract
C57B1/6 mice were given [methylcholanthrene induced mouse fibrosarcoma] tumor cells i.v. on day 0. Mice were then given a brief exposure to halothane anesthesia or given halothane and then underwent a hind limb amputation. Immune testing was done at varying time intervals and correlated with the development of artificial pulmonary metastases. The effects of a single 15 min exposure to halothane on the immune system are probably short-lived and no effect on cell-mediated cytotoxicity was seen on day 7. No increase in pulmonary metastases was observed. When anesthesia was combined with surgery, cell-mediated cytotoxicity was impaired and an increase in pulmonary metastases was seen. The use of thiabendazole, an nonspecific immunopotentiator, in the perioperative period restored the cell-mediated cytotoxic response and resulted in a significant decrease in pulmonary metastases.