Hepatectomies are considered as operations of high bleeding risk. The history of massive
hemorrhage in liver surgery led to the emergence of techniques to control excessive blood
loss. These techniques temporarily occlude the blood vessels that supply liver (the Pringle
Maneuver) limiting subsequent losses. However, this leads to the ischemia - reperfusion
injury impairing liver function. Research points to methods targeting on tempering
reperfusion pathophysiology. Volatile anesthetics have been used for pharmacological
preconditioning and proved to protect against organ damage. The aim of this study was to
investigate the potential beneficial effect of desflurane on ischemia-reperfusion injury of
the liver. Patients presenting for elective hepatectomy were randomized equally into two
groups. The Control Group received no pharmacological preconditioning and the Desflurane
Group received pharmacological preconditioning with Desflurane before induction of ischemia.