Postoperatieve cognitieve disfunctie

- Memory loss and lack of concentration are symptoms that frequently occur in patients who have undergone a surgical procedure. - Although cognitive function can be assessed using neuropsychological tests, diagnosing postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) reliably appears to be difficult. Therefore, the true incidence of POCD is unknown. - Severe POCD, which is apparent even without neuropsychological testing, is predominantly reported after cardiac and hip-replacement surgery. In these cases, POCD probably reflects micro embolic brain injury. - Apart from the nature of the surgical procedure, advanced age is the most important risk factor for POCD. - The anaesthetic technique used is not a determinant: the risks of POCD occurring appear to be similar following both general and local anaesthesia.