Pituitary-thyroid responses to surgical stress.

The effect of surgery on pituitary-thyroid function was studied in 12 euthyroid patients. There was a sharp early increase in total thyroxine level, causing displacement of triiodothyronine from thyroid hormone binding proteins resulting in the elevation of the biologically more potent free triiodothyronine fraction. The serum triiodothyronine concentration fell rapidly during and after the operation, with a concomitant rise in reverse triiodothyronine level. Increased prolactin levels were found during and after surgery. With no post-operative complication, recovery of normal pituitary-thyroid function occurred after 4 to 7 days of convalescence.