Cognitive dysfunction after cardiovascular surgery.
This review describes the incidence, risk factors, and long-term consequences of cognitive dysfunction after cardiovascular surgery. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is increasingly being recognized as an important complication, especially in the elderly. A highly sensitive neuropsychological test battery must be used to detect POCD and a well-matched control group is very useful for the analysis and interpretation of the test


RESULTS
Cardiovascular surgery is associated with a high incidence of POCD. Cardiopulmonary bypass was thought to explain this difference, but randomized studies comparing with off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery show contradictory


RESULTS
POCD seems to have important long-term consequences regarding self-assessed quality of life, survival, and labor market attachment.
Funder
K S
KS
Department of Anesthesia, Center of Head and Orthopedics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Steinmetz
J
J
Rasmussen
L S
LS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D047549:Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump / Q000009:adverse effects; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life