Operative stress, blood loss and transfusion affect general and local immunity after operation. This study concerns the humoral immunity mediators IgG, IgM and IgA. In 16patients who had total hip replacements blood loss was made up by transfusion of the patient's own blood and with homologous blood; the immunoglobulins showed a significant reduction compared to the preoperative values. The same was true in a second group of 16 patients who had hip replacement and total homologous transfusion. A third group of 17 patients who had femoral and pelvic osteotomies were given autologous blood, donated before operation, and no changes were found in the immunoglobulins compared with the preoperative values. These results indicate the immunosuppressive effect of homologous transfusion. The balance of immunoglobulins remains relatively stable when blood loss is replaced with the patient's own blood.
R6sum6. Les auteurs ont dtudid les mddiateurs humoraux de l'immunitd IgG, IgM et IgA durant la pdriode post-opdratoire. Dans deux groupes de 16 malades opdrds par arthroplastie totale de hanche, la perte sanguine a dtd compensde soit par du sang homologue et autologue, soit seulement par du sang homologue. Les immunoglobulines ont dtd sensiblement abaissdes par rapport aux valeurs prd-opdratoires. Chez 17 autres malades qui ont subi une ostdotomie fdmorale ou une ostdotomie du