Stress in medicine is actually a disturbance of homeostasis. During surgery, the body is exposed to significant stress, which is why physiological mechanisms are activated in order for the body to adapt, maintain homeostasis, and to make recovery as quick and successful as possible. The endocrine response is activated in sensory nerve endings, which send stimuli from the site of surgical injury to the CNS, more specifically, to the paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, the thalamus and the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe. Very important components of the stress response are hormonal and neurohumoral changes, which include the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the sympathetic-adrenergic system, the activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, and the release of ACTH and growth hormone from the adenohypophysis. An essential role in the regulation of the immune system is played by cytokines, mediators secreted by immune cells, they are synthesized in response to inflammatory processes in the body. The joint action of the nervous system and endocrine glands results in neurohumoral changes. An example of this is the activation of the sympathoadrenal system, which causes the release of catecholamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline. Catecholamines have the role of maintaining hemodynamic stability and providing a sufficient source of energy during stress. The intensity of the surgical stress response can be influenced by using surgical methods that damage less tissue and create smaller scars, as well as by applying adequate anesthesia protocols, since it has been proven that the stress response is less intense if anesthesia blocks some of the aforementioned hormonal and neurohumoral systems.