Abstract
The quantitative measurement of plasma endotoxin was made in 64 cases of surgical neonates using the chromogenic assay (Toxicolour test). The preoperative values of plasma endotoxin were 64±59pg/ml in perforative peritonitis (n=9), 63±51pg/ml in gastroschisis (n=7) and 15±16pg/ml in intestinal obstruction (n=28) respectively, while the value in 20 cases without intestinal obstruction was 6±5pg/ml. In the serial measurements of plasma endotoxin in 28 neonates, the values on the first postoperative day increased significantly compared with the preoperative values. Then, they decreased gradually to normal range within a week in 15 cases without postoperative complication, plasma endotoxin remained at high level. The usufulness of evaluating endotoxemia in surgical neonates was discussed.
