Metabolic response to anaesthesia and prostatectomy in Nigerians. Changes in plasma cortisol and blood sugar.

In ten Nigerian patients undergoing prostatectomy, plasma cortisol was slightly decreased by pre-medication with atropine and pethidine and during general anaesthesia without surgery. This decrease was not statistically significant. There was, however, a statistically significant increase in plasma cortisol after 1 h of surgery and also in the post-operative period. The blood sugar was elevated by pre-medication and surgery though the rise was not significant. There was a significant rise of blood sugar after 30 min of surgery and in the post-operative period. These findings in general are similar to those observed in ten Nigerian patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery, although the rise in plasma cortisol was higher following upper abdominal surgery, and the rise in blood sugar higher following lower abdominal surgery.