Neuropsychological status of patients with congenital and rheumatic heart diseases: preoperative and postoperative comparison.
Thirty surgical patients receiving surgery for congenital heart or rheumatic heart disease were compared with a match control group on a battery of neuropsychological tests. Subjects were examined prior to surgery, 4 weeks post- and again 6 months postsurgery. Preoperative surgical subjects showed a generalized impairment in functioning suggestive of brain dysfunction secondary to hypoxia. Improvement following surgery was attributed to practice effects.
D000328:Adult; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery