The Nature and Significance of Hyperamylasemia Following Operation

Total serum amylase activity was found to be significantly elevated postoperatively in 11 (10%) of 110 patients undergoing various surgical procedures. Isoamylase analysis revealed that the rise was chiefly in the pancreatic-type isoamylase in seven of the 11 patients showing postoperative serum amylase elevations; in the other four patients, the elevation occurred principally in the salivary-type isoamylase. These data demonstrate that postoperative hyperamylasemia occurs surprisingly often and that serum amylase activity may rise even when the surgical procedure is extra-abdominal. Moreover, elevation of serum amylase activity after surgery is not necessarily an indication of pancreatitis and may reflect instead a rise in salivary-type isoamylase.