The changing pattern of platelet count after gastrointestinal surgery according to the healing stage

In order to speculate the role of platelet in the wound healing, we examined platelet count in 27 patients who showed anastomotic leakage after gastrointestinal surgery. Thirty-nine patients who did not show leakage were served as control. Results were as follows: (1) The maximal values of platelet after surgery correlated with the surgical invasion. (2) Platelet count showed biphasic pattern after surgery. At first platelet count decreased. Then the count increased and reached its maximal values in the 2nd week in the control group. However, the maximal values were obtained in the 3rd week in the case of the patients with leakage. After that, platelet count decreased to normal level in healing stage. This tendency was more prominent in early leakage group than delayed leakage group. (3) The changing pattern of platelet count after surgery did not coincide with that of white cell count. White cell count was normal in 10 out of 27 (37%) in leakage cases. However, the platelet count in these cases increased in 9 out of 10 (90%). Therefore, it is concluded that the maximum of platelet after surgery reflects surgical invasion well. The changing pattern of platelet count after surgery is useful in speculating healing stage and detecting anastomotic leakage early.