Effects of Propofol on Oxidative Stress and Liver Regeneration After Partial Hepatectomy

Propofol is an anaesthetic agent that showed in vitro and in vivo anti oxidant properties. No data are available concerning the potential benefit of a total anaesthesia with propofol in partial hepatic surgery. Patients who undergo partial hepatic resection have frequent liver insufficiency that could be related in part to the oxidative stress induced by clamping the hepatic vessels during the surgical intervention. Our hypothesis is that propofol, by increasing liver resistance to this ischemia-reperfusion phenomenon, could improve the remaining liver function recovery, and therefore could reduce post surgical morbidity. The aim of the study is to evaluate the anti oxidant effects of propofol compared to another widely used anaesthetic agent, inhaled desflurane, during and after partial hepatic resection with hepatic vessels clamping. The primary endpoint will be the level of malondialdehyde (a plasmatic marker of oxidative stress), 30 minutes after the end of hepatic clamping.