THE IMPACT OF SURGERY ON BLOOD PROCALCITONIN AND LEUKOCYTE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE BURNS maria.klimeczek@gmail.com

231-02

THE IMPACT OF SURGERY ON BLOOD PROCALCITONIN AND LEUKOCYTE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE BURNS

3

Poland

Oral or Poster

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of surgery on the inflammatory response and levels of selected markers in patients with severe burns. In procedures such as necrosis excision or skin grafting, significant disruption of homeostasis and increased portals of infection may occur. As sepsis remains the leading cause of mortality in severe burns, monitoring inflammatory markers is essential. This study examined perioperative changes in leukocyte and procalcitonin levels to assess their potential role in sepsis risk evaluation.

A prospective study was conducted on 34 adults with deep burns involving 20–50% of the total body surface area (TBSA). Patients were assigned to one of three groups based on the surgical intervention: tangential excision of necrosis, excision of necrosis to fascia, or skin harvesting for grafting. Leukocyte and procalcitonin levels were measured preoperatively and at 3 and 9 hours after surgery.

Leukocyte counts increased after tangential excision and skin harvesting, while a decrease was observed following excision to the fascia. Procalcitonin levels remained stable across all groups.

Leukocyte response varied according to the surgical method, with increases after tangential excision or skin harvesting potentially reflecting either surgical trauma or early sepsis. In contrast, procalcitonin levels were unaffected by surgical intervention, supporting their value as a reliable and stable prognostic marker for sepsis in severely burned patients. These findings highlight the importance of procedure-specific interpretation of leukocyte counts and reinforce the role of procalcitonin in perioperative monitoring.