MedPage Today (12/10, Clark) reports that the issue of post-operative cognitive decline (POCD) was addressed at a presentation given at the American Society of Anesthesiology’s annual meeting. The condition affects possibly “as many as 15% of patients 60 and older.” Patients with POCD “experience some memory or problem-solving declines within three months of surgery.”
Although some surgeons still remain “skeptical about the syndrome…there is greater recognition among cardiac surgeons, who have dealt for years with the possibility that cardio-pulmonary bypass machines used during heart surgery may be associated with post-op cognitive problems.”
Related Links:
— “Is Surgery a Risk Factor for Cognitive Dysfunction?,” Cheryl Clark , MedPage Today, December 9, 2015.