Effects of laparoscopic total hysterectomy on systemic oxidative stress

Objective To investigate the effects of laparoscopic total hysterectomy on systemic oxidative stress. Methods Each 38 patients who underwent laparoscopic total hysterectomy(LTH) and total abdominal hysterectomy(TAH) respectively from March 2010 to March 2012 were enrolled in this study. Plasma malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity and glutathione peroxidase(GPx) activity were measured before surgery, at the end of the surgery, and 24 h after laparoscopic surgery, for the comparison with the measurements in patients receiving total abdominal hysterectomy surgery at the same time points. Results Compared with that pre-operation, the level of MDA in plasma increased significantly and recovered to the normal level 24 h after the laparoscopic surgery, but in laparotomic surgery, plasma MDA level underwent a slight increase in the end of the surgery and continued to increase 24 h after the operation(P0.05). Compared with that pre-operation, the activity of both SOD and GSH-PX in plasma decreased significantly and recovered to the normal level 24 h after the laparoscopic surgery, but in laparotomic surgery, plasma SOD and GSH-PX activity slightly decreased immediately following the surgery and continued to decrease 24 h after the operation(P0.05). Compared with patients receiving laparotomic surgery, laparoscopic patients had significantly lower plasma MDA level and significantly higher SOD activity and GSH-PX activity at 24 h after the operation. Conclusion Oxidative stress resulted from CO2 pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic surgery recovers faster than that caused by laparotomic surgery.