Effect of isofluorane anesthesia on serum levels of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and Co in humans

In this study the levels of zinc, copper, iron, manganese and cobalt were determined in serum of 25 male and 15 female patients, aged 18 to 35 years, with various pathologies requiring surgery, and who had received isofluorane anesthesia. Significant differences were detected in the concentration of zinc, copper, iron and manganese between presurgical and post-anesthesia samples. The truly striking finding in the present study was the significant increase in serum Zn in the post-operative period. The fact that alterations in the serum levels of these elements occured only after a considerable time had elapsed following the intervention (24 hours), leads to the conclusion that the changes in serum cation concentration very likely result from surgical trauma and not from isofluorane anesthesia per se.