Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol is associated with a lower rate of postoperative delirium in comparison with sevoflurane anesthesia in elderly patients

Comparison of Propofol-Based Total Intravenous Anesthesia versus Volatile Anesthesia with Sevoflurane for Postoperative Delirium in Adult Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Single-Blinded Study

OBJECTIVES

To compare the incidence of delirium and early (at 1 week) postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) between propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and volatile anesthesia with sevoflurane in adult patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

DESIGN

This was a prospective randomized single-blinded study.

SETTING

The study was conducted at a single institution, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, a tertiary care institution and university-level teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventy-two patients undergoing elective CABG under CPB participated in this study.

INTERVENTIONS

This study was conducted on 72 adult patients (>18 years) undergoing elective CABG under CPB who were randomized to receive propofol or sevoflurane. Anesthetic depth was monitored to maintain the bispectral index between 40 and 60. Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit. Early POCD was diagnosed when there was a reduction of >2 points in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score compared to baseline. Cerebral oximetry changes using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), atheroma grades, and intraoperative variables were compared between the 2 groups.

MEASUREMENTS & MAIN RESULTS

Seventy-two patients were randomized to receive propofol (n = 36) or sevoflurane (n = 36). The mean patient age was 59.4 ± 8.6 years. The baseline and intraoperative variables, including atheroma grades, NIRS values, hemoglobin, glycemic control, and oxygenation, were comparable in the 2 groups. Fifteen patients (21.7%) patients developed delirium, and 31 patients (44.9%) had early POCD. The incidence of delirium was higher with sevoflurane (n = 12; 34.2%) compared to propofol (n = 3; 8.8%) (odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-2.62; p = 0.027)*. POCD was higher with sevoflurane (n = 20; 57.1%) compared to propofol (n = 11; 32.3%) (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.01-2.62; p = 0.038)*. In patients aged >65 years, delirium was higher with sevoflurane (7/11; 63.6%) compared to propofol (1/7; 14.2%) (p = 0.03)*.

CONCLUSIONS

Propofol-based TIVA was associated with a lower incidence of delirium and POCD compared to sevoflurane in this cohort of patients undergoing CABG under CPB. Large-scale, multicenter randomized trials with longer follow-up are needed to substantiate the clinical relevance of this observation.

Association Between Anesthetics and Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery: Propofol Versus Sevoflurane

STUDY DESIGNS

Retrospective Observational StudyObjectives: To compare the incidence of POD after propofol- and sevoflurane-based anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing spine surgery.

METHODS

In this study, the medical records of elderly patients ≥ 65 years of age who underwent spine surgery under total intravenous anesthesia with propofol or inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane were reviewed. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD after propofol- and sevoflurane-based anesthesia. Secondary outcomes included postoperative 30-day complications, length of postoperative hospital stay, associations of patient characteristics, and surgery- and anesthesia-related data with the development of POD, and associations of anesthetics with clinical outcomes such as postoperative 30-day complications, and length of postoperative hospital stay.

RESULTS

Of the 281 patients, POD occurred in 29 patients (10.3%). POD occurred more frequently in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group (15.7% vs. 5.0%, respectively; P=.003). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that sevoflurane-based anesthesia was associated with an increased risk of POD compared with propofol-based anesthesia (odds ratio [OR], 4.120; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.549-10.954; P = .005), whereas anesthetics were not associated with postoperative 30-day complications and the length of postoperative hospital stay. Older age (OR, 1.242 CI, 1.130-1.366; P < .001) and higher mean pain score at postoperative day 1 (OR, 1.338 CI, 1.056-1.696; P = .016) were also associated with an increased risk of POD.

CONCLUSIONS

Propofol-based anesthesia was associated with a lower incidence of POD than sevoflurane-based anesthesia in elderly patients after spine surgery.

Randomized controlled trial of the effect of general anesthetics on postoperative recovery after minimally invasive nephrectomy

BACKGROUND

General anesthetic techniques can affect postoperative recovery. We compared the effect of propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and desflurane anesthesia on postoperative recovery.

METHODS

In this randomized trial, 150 patients undergoing robot-assisted or laparoscopic nephrectomy for renal cancer were randomly allocated to either the TIVA or desflurane anesthesia (DES) group. Postoperative recovery was evaluated using the Korean version of the Quality of Recovery-15 questionnaire (QoR-15K) at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h postoperatively. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was performed to analyze longitudinal QoR-15K data. Fentanyl consumption, pain severity, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and quality of life three weeks after discharge were also compared.

RESULTS

Data were analyzed for 70 patients in each group. The TIVA group showed significantly higher QoR-15K scores at 24 and 48 h postoperatively (24 h: DES, 96 [77, 109] vs. TIVA, 104 [82, 117], median difference 8 [95% CI: 1, 15], P = 0.029; 48 h: 110 [95, 128] vs. 125 [109, 130], median difference 8 [95% CI: 1, 15], P = 0.022), however not at 72 h (P = 0.400). The GEE revealed significant effects of group (adjusted mean difference 6.2, 95% CI: 0.39, 12.1, P = 0.037) and time (P < 0.001) on postoperative QoR-15K scores without group-time interaction (P = 0.051). However, there were no significant differences in other outcomes, except for fentanyl consumption, within the first 24 h postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

Propofol-based TIVA showed only a transient improvement in postoperative recovery than desflurane anesthesia, without significant differences in other outcomes.

The Postoperative Effects of Anesthesia Exposure on Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

As modern medicine continues to make strides in effective surgical treatments, we must also consider the critical impact of anesthesia on neuropsychological outcomes. Recent evidence suggests that anesthesia exposure may be a risk factor for postoperative cognitive decline and the eventual development of dementia.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the vulnerability of the aging brain in the context of anesthesia exposure in surgery, studies will be reviewed, and pertinent findings will be highlighted and explored to better understand risks and possible factors that need to be considered when contemplating surgery.

METHODS

A narrative review was conducted using a combination of MEDLINE and APA PsycINFO databases to shed light on themes across studies assessing general trends regarding the influence of anesthesia on postoperative cognitive decline.

RESULTS

A search of relevant literature identified 388 articles. Excluding results outside the parameters of this study, the review includes quality assessments for 24 articles.

CONCLUSION

While findings are inconclusive, suggestions for further investigation into the relationship between anesthesia exposure and increased risk for postoperative cognitive decline are discussed, in addition to factors that may allow for greater informed disclosure of potential risks of anesthesia in older adults.

Pro-Con Debate: Should All General Anesthesia Be Done Using Target-Controlled Propofol Infusion Guided by Objective Monitoring of Depth of Anesthesia?

In this Pro-Con commentary article, we discuss whether all general anesthesia should be done using target-controlled propofol anesthesia guided by monitoring of depth of anesthesia. This is an ongoing debate since more than 25 years, representing a scientific, cultural as well as geographical divide in the anesthesia community. The Pro side argues that total intravenous anesthesia causes less postoperative nausea and higher patient satisfaction than anesthesia using volatile anesthetics. Target-controlled infusion (TCI) of anesthetic agents allows for better titration of intravenous anesthesia using pharmacokinetic models. Processed EEG monitors, such as bispectral index monitoring, allows for better assessing the effect of TCI anesthesia than solely assessment of clinical parameters, such as ECG or blood pressure. The combination of TCI propofol and objective depth of anesthesia monitoring allows creating a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic profile for each patient. Finally, anesthesia using volatile anesthetics poses health risks for healthcare professionals and contributes to greenhouse effect. The Con side argues that for procedures accompanied with ischemia and reperfusion injury of an organ or tissue and for patients suffering from a severe inflammation' the use of volatile anesthetics might well have its advantages above propofol. In times of sudden shortage of drugs, volatile anesthetics can overcome the restriction in the operating theater or even on the intensive care unit, which is another advantage. Volatile anesthetics can be used for induction of anesthesia when IV access is impossible, end-tidal measurements of volatile anesthetic concentration allows confirmation that patients receive anesthetics. Taking environmental considerations into account, both propofol and volatile anesthetics bear certain harm to the environment, be it as waste product or as greenhouse gases. The authors therefore suggest to carefully considering advantages and disadvantages for each patient in its according environment. A well-balanced choice based on the available literature is recommended. The authors recommend careful consideration of advantages and disadvantages of each technique when tailoring an anesthetic to meet patient needs. Where appropriate, anesthesia providers are encouraged to account for unique features of anesthetic drug behavior, patient-reported and observed postoperative outcomes, and economic and environmental considerations when choosing any of the 2 described techniques.

Risk factors for postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing surgery for oral malignancies

We aimed to analyse postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) incidence and risk factors in elderly adults who underwent surgery for oral malignancies. A total of 112 elderly patients (aged ≥ 55 years) were selected for expanded resection of oral malignancy and cervical lymphatic dissection at our institution from December 2020 to December 2021. Participants were cognitively evaluated using the neuropsychological test scale 1 day before and 7 days after surgery to determine whether they had developed POCD. Based on whether POCD occurred 7 days after surgery, patients were classified into the POCD and non-POCD groups. Logistic regression was applied to perioperative factors to analyse the risk factors for POCD onset. Seven days after surgery for oral malignancy, there were 37 (33.1%) POCD morbidities. Multiple factor logistic regression analysis revealed that venerable age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.269, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.056-1.525, P < 0.05), low education levels (OR = 0.792, 95% CI 0.644-0.974, P < 0.05), hypertension (OR = 4.153, 95% CI 1.335-12.732, P < 0.05), dyssomnia (OR = 1.272, 95% CI 1.001-1.617, P < 0.05), prolonged anaesthesia (OR = 1.009, 95% CI 1.001-1.018, P < 0.05), and intraoperative hypotension (OR = 5.512, 95% CI 1.240-24.506, P < 0.05) increased the POCD risk in elderly patients who underwent surgery for oral malignancies. Venerable age, low knowledge reserve, hypertension, dyssomnia, prolonged anaesthesia, and intraoperative hypotension are independent risk factors for POCD in elderly patients with oral malignancies.

The Efficacy of Low-Dose Risperidone Treatment for Post-Surgical Delirium in Elderly Orthopedic Patients

Background: Delirium is an acute and typically reversible failure of essential cognitive and attentional functions and is a growing public health concern, with an incidence of 20-50% in patients older than 65 after major surgery and 61% in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. Numerous treatment strategies have been examined with no conclusive results. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of a three-day low-dose risperidone treatment protocol, 0.5 mg BID, in treating delirium in elderly hospitalized orthopedic surgery department patients. Methods: This study is a prospective non-randomized study involving the senior patient population, older than 65, in an Orthopedic Surgery Department in 2019 and 2020. Delirium was diagnosed by a confusion assessment method (CAM) questionnaire. A three-day 0.5 mg risperidone BID treatment protocol was initiated following diagnosis. Patient data collected included age, gender, chronic diseases, type of surgery and anesthesia and delirium characteristics. Results: The delirium study group included 47 patients with an average age of 84.4 years (±8.6), of whom 53.2% were females. Delirium incidence was 3.7% in all patients older than 65 (1759 patients) and 9.3% in the proximal femoral fracture group. We did not correlate electrolyte imbalance, anemia, polypharmacy and chronic diseases to delirium onset characteristics. Following the three-day low-dose risperidone treatment protocol, 0.5 mg BID, 14.9% of the patients showed CAM score normalization after one day of treatment, and 93.6% within two days. Conclusions: We found our rigid three-day low-dose risperidone treatment protocol, 0.5 mg BID, efficacious in fast delirium resolution, without side effects.

Effects of Dezocine on the Reduction of Emergence Delirium after Laparoscopic Surgery: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study

In China, dezocine is commonly employed as a partial agonist of mu/kappa opioid receptors during anesthesia induction for surgical patients, yet evidence supporting its causal association with emergence delirium is limited. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of intravenous dezocine administered during anesthesia induction on emergence delirium. The retrospective studied existing data containing medical records of patients undergoing an elective laparoscopy procedure and the study was conducted with ethics-board approval. The primary outcome was the incidence of emergence delirium. Secondary outcomes included the VAS in the PACU and 24 h after surgery, the RASS score in the PACU, postoperative MMSE, hospital stay, and ICU stay. A total of 681 patients were analyzed, after being propensity score-matched, the dezocine and non-dezocine group each had 245 patients. Emergence delirium occurred in 26/245 (10.6%) of patients who received dezocine and 41/245 (16.7%) of patients did not receive dezocine. Patients on whom dezocine was used were associated with a significantly lower incidence of emergence delirium (absolute risk difference, −6.1%, 95% CI, −12% to −0.2%; relative risk [RR], 0.63; 95% CI, 0.18–0.74). All secondary outcome measures and adverse outcomes were not significantly different. The use of dezocine during anesthesia induction was associated with a decreased incidence of emergence delirium after elective laparoscopic surgeries.

Using Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict High-Risk Factors for Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients

Purpose

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common postoperative complication in elderly patients, and it greatly affects the short-term and long-term prognosis of patients. The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning model to identify preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative high-risk factors and predict the occurrence of delirium after nonbrain surgery in elderly patients.

Patients and Methods

A total of 950 elderly patients were included in the study, including 132 patients with POD. We collected 30 characteristic variables, including patient demographic characteristics, basic medical history, preoperative examination characteristics, type of surgery, and intraoperative information. Three machine learning algorithms, multilayer perceptron (MLP), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and k-nearest neighbor algorithm (KNN), were applied to construct the model, and the k-fold cross-validation method, ROC curve, calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA) and external validation were used for model evaluation.

Results

XGBoost showed the best performance among the three prediction models. The ROC curve results showed that XGBoost had a high area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.982 in the training set; the AUC value in the validation set was 0.924, and the prediction model was highly accurate. The k-fold cross-validation method was used for internal validation, and the XGBoost model was stable The calibration curve showed high predictive power of the XGBoost model. The DCA curve showed a higher benefit rate for patients who received interventional treatment under the XGBoost model. The AUC value for the external validation set was 0.88, indicating that the predictive model was extrapolative.

Conclusion

The prediction model of POD derived from the machine learning algorithm in this study has high prediction accuracy and clinical utility, which is beneficial for clinicians to diagnose and treat patients in a timely manner.

Risk Factors for Delirium after Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery under Total Intravenous Anesthesia in Parkinson's Disease Patients

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is associated with perioperative complications and mortality. Data on the risk factors for delirium after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) surgery is not clarified in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients receiving total intravenous anesthesia. We aimed to investigate the risk factors for delirium after STN-DBS surgery in PD patients.

METHODS

The retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 131 PD patients who underwent STN-DBS for the first time under total intravenous anesthesia from January to December 2021. Delirium assessments were performed twice daily for 7 days after surgery or until hospital discharge using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factor of POD.

RESULTS

In total, 22 (16.8%) of 131 patients were in the POD group, while the other 109 patients were in the Non-POD group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative Mini-mental State Examination score [odds ratio = 0.855, 95% confidence interval = 0.768-0.951, p = 0.004] and unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part 3 (on state) score (odds ratio = 1.061, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.104, p = 0.003) were independently associated with delirium after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective cohort study of PD patients, a lower Mini-mental State Examination score and a higher unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part 3 (on state) score were the independent risk factors for delirium after STN-DBS surgery in PD patients under total intravenous anesthesia.

Sevoflurane-induced POCD-associated exosomes delivered miR-584-5p regulates the growth of human microglia HMC3 cells through targeting BDNF

BACKGROUND

Inhalation of sevoflurane can cause neuronal apoptosis, and cognitive disorders, inducing to the occurrence and progression of post operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). This study aimed to explore the roles of sevoflurane-induced POCD-associated exosomes on HMC3 cells and its related mechanisms.

METHODS

Exosomes were isolated from the plasma of sevoflurane-induced POCD or non-POCD patients, and were then sent for small RNA sequencing. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to verify the sequencing results, and miR-584-5p was chosen for subsequent study. HMC3 cells were respectively transfected with POCD-derived exosomes and miR-584-5p mimics, and cell viability and apoptosis were measured. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to confirm the target of miR-584-5p.

RESULTS

After sequencing, 301 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, including 184 up-regulated miRNAs and 117 down-regulated miRNAs, and were significantly enriched in 3577 GO terms and 121 KEGG pathways. Due to the high level of miR-584-5p in sevoflurane-treated POCD-derived exosomes, HMC3 cells with miR-584-5p enrichment were successfully established. Compared with the control group, POCD-derived exosomes and miR-584-5p significantly inhibited viability and promoted apoptosis of HMC3 cells (P < 0.05). The IL-1β and TNF-α levels were significantly increased after POCD-derived exosomes and miR-584-5p mimics treatment compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Besides, POCD-derived exosomes and miR-584-5p mimics significantly down-regulated the expression levels of BDNF and p-TrkB, and up-regulated Caspase 3 and IL-1β. Finally, BDNF was confirmed to be the target of miR-584-5p.

CONCLUSIONS

Sevoflurane-induced POCD-associated exosomes delivered miR-584-5p may regulate the growth of HMC3 cells via targeting BDNF.

Pre- and intraoperative cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy and postoperative delirium: Results of a prospective cross-sectional trial

Postoperative delirium (PODE) is a serious complication that can occur during the first few days after surgery. A number of causes can make delirium more likely; one factor to consider is hypoxia during anesthesia. In this study, the pre- and intraoperative cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was to be examined with regard to an association with the occurrence of PODE in patients undergoing major abdominal procedures. Data from 80 patients (33 women, 47 men) was examined. The mean age was 66.31 ± 10.55 years (between 42 and 84 years). Thirteen patients developed PODE. The preoperative rSO2 values (P = .10) and the rSO2 values during the steady state of anesthesia (P = .06) tended to be lower in the delirium group than in the non-delirium group. There was a significant correlation between the preoperative rSO2 and the preoperative hemoglobin values (P < .001). The variance of rSO2 during the steady state of anesthesia was significantly greater in the delirium group compared to the non-delirium group (P = .03). In two patients from the delirium group, rSO2 dropped below 50%; they also had a minimum mean arterial pressure below 50 mm Hg, which could have disturbed cerebral autoregulation. The duration of rSO2 decreases (>10%, >15%, >20%) and increases (>10%) compared to the preoperative values was not significantly different between patients with and without PODE. The results suggest that NIRS could be a useful monitoring method for patients undergoing abdominal surgical procedures, on the one hand to recognize patients with low pre- or intraoperative rSO2 values, and on the other hand to detect changes in rSO2 values during anesthesia.

Comparison of total intravenous with inhalational anesthesia in terms of postoperative delirium and complications in older patients: a nationwide population-based study

PURPOSE

Postoperative delirium incidences are increasing in older adults. A Cochrane Review found no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative delirium between total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and inhalational anesthesia (IA). This study evaluated the differences in postoperative delirium and morbidity between patients who underwent either TIVA or IA.

METHODS

A nationwide Japanese inpatient database was used to retrospectively compare differences in postoperative delirium and composite morbidity between patients older than 65 years, who underwent general anesthesia (TIVA or IA). The primary outcome was postoperative delirium. The secondary outcomes were: morbidity incidence, length of hospital stay, and mortality. A 1:3 propensity score analysis of patients who underwent all surgical procedures was conducted according to covariates, to calculate odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sensitivity analyses were conducted using an instrumental variable analysis of the proportion of TIVA by hospital scale, stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting analyses, limiting the definitions of postoperative delirium, and subgroup analysis.

RESULTS

Of 738,600 patients, 149,540 received TIVA and 589,060 received IA. After 1:3 propensity score matching, the adjusted odds ratios for postoperative delirium and composite morbidity were 0.93 (95% CI 0.91-0.95) and 0.94 (95% CI 0.90-0.97), respectively, for TIVA concerning IA. There were no differences in the length of the intensive care unit and hospital stay, or hospital mortality. The findings were consistent with the sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that TIVA was related to a slightly decreased postoperative delirium and incidence of morbidity compared to IA.

Impact of propofol versus sevoflurane on the incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly patients after spine surgery: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Background

Postoperative delirium in elderly patients is a common and costly complication after surgery. Propofol and sevoflurane are commonly used anesthetics during general anesthesia, and the sedative and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of the two medications are different. The aim of this trial is to compare the impact of propofol with sevoflurane on the incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly patients after spine surgery.

Methods

A single-center randomized controlled trial will be performed at First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, China. A total of 298 participants will be enrolled in the study and randomized to propofol infusion or sevoflurane inhalation groups. The primary outcome is the incidence of delirium within 7 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes include the day of postoperative delirium onset, duration (time from first to last delirium-positive day), and total delirium-positive days among patients who developed delirium; tracheal intubation time in PACU; the length of stay in PACU; the rate of postoperative shivering; the rate of postoperative nausea and vomiting; the rate of emergence agitation; pain severity; QoR40 at the first day after surgery; the length of stay in hospital after surgery; and the incidence of non-delirium complications within 30 days after surgery.

Discussion

The primary objective of this study is to compare the impact of propofol and sevoflurane on the incidence of postoperative delirium for elderly patients undergoing spine surgery. The results may help inform strategies to the optimal selection of maintenance drugs for general anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing spine surgery.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.govNCT05158998. Registered on 14 December 2021

The Effect of Propofol versus Sevoflurane on Postoperative Delirium in Parkinson’s Disease Patients Undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery: An Observational Study

Background: The selection of the maintenance of general anesthesia may affect the development of postoperative delirium (POD), notably for Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, due to their lower cognitive reserve. The present study was designed to compare the potential impact of propofol vs. sevoflurane based general anesthesia maintenance methods on the development of POD in PD patients following deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. Methods: A total of 125 PD patients who were scheduled to undergo DBS surgery were randomly divided into the propofol (n = 63) and the sevoflurane groups (n = 62). The patients in the two groups randomly received propofol- or sevoflurane-based general anesthesia. The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) was employed by an investigator who was blinded to the anesthesia regimen and was administered twice per day from postoperative day 1 until discharge. Results: The incidence of POD was 22.22% (14/63) with propofol anesthesia and 20.97% (13/62) with sevoflurane anesthesia (p = 0.865). In addition, no difference was noted in the duration and severity of delirium between the propofol and sevoflurane groups. Conclusions: In the present study, propofol- and sevoflurane-based general anesthesia exhibited comparable results with regard to the POD incidence in PD patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery.

Comparison of Intravenous and Inhalational Anesthetic on Postoperative Cognitive Outcomes in Elderly Patients Undergoing Cancer Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Previous studies have documented consistent findings on the long-term cognitive effects such as postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), delirium and delayed recovery among elderly undergoing cancer surgery. This review was conducted to compare the effect of intravenous and inhalational anesthetic on the postoperative cognitive outcomes among elderly patients undergoing cancer surgery.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis METHODS: We searched Medline, EMBASE, PubMed Central, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Cochrane library from inception until May 2021. We carried out a meta-analysis with a random-effects model and reported pooled risk ratio (RR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) depending on the type of outcome.

FINDINGS

In total, we analyzed 10 studies including 2,333 participants. Half of the studies had high risk of bias. For the cognitive score, the pooled SMD was -0.87 [95% CI: -3.97 to 2.24] indicating no statistically significant difference between inhalational and intravenous anesthetic. For POCD, the pooled RR was 1.24 (95% CI: 0.83-1.84); for postoperative delirium, the pooled RR was 2.26 (95% CI: 0.79-6.44); for delayed neurocognitive recovery, the pooled RR was 1.49 (95% CI: 1.09-2.03).

CONCLUSION

Inhalational anesthetics did not show a significant difference in postoperative cognitive outcomes, except delayed neurocognitive recovery, compared to intravenous anesthetic following cancer surgery.

Effect of sedative premedication with oral midazolam on postanesthesia care unit delirium in older adults: a secondary analysis following an uncontrolled before-after design

BACKGROUND

Sedative premedication with benzodiazepines has been linked with prolonged recovery and inadequate emergence during the immediate postoperative period. We aimed to analyze the association between postanesthesia care unit (PACU) delirium and sedative premedication with oral midazolam.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data before (midazolam cohort) and after (non-midazolam cohort) implementation of a restrictive strategy for oral premedication with midazolam. From March 2015 until July 2018, we included patients 60 years and older, who underwent elective radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Exclusion criteria were contraindications to premedication with midazolam, preoperative anxiety, and a history of neurological disorders. Patients, who were scheduled for postoperative admission to the intensive care unit, were excluded. Between 2015 and 2016, patients received 7.5 mg oral midazolam preoperatively (midazolam cohort). Patients included between 2017 and 2018 did not receive any sedative medication preoperatively (non-midazolam cohort). The primary endpoint was the incidence of PACU delirium.

RESULTS

PACU delirium rates were 49% in the midazolam cohort (n = 214) and 33% in the non-midazolam cohort (n = 218). This difference was not statistically significant on multivariable logistic regression analysis (OR 0.847 [95% CI 0.164; 4.367]; P = 0.842). Age (OR 1.102 [95% CI 1.050; 1.156]; P < 0.001), the cumulative dose of sufentanil (OR 1.014 [95% CI 1.005; 1.024]; P = 0.005), and propofol-sufentanil for anesthesia maintenance (OR 2.805 [95% CI 1.497; 5.256]; P = 0.001) were significantly associated with PACU delirium.

CONCLUSION

Midazolam for sedative premedication was not significantly associated with PACU delirium. The reduction in the incidence of PACU delirium throughout the study period may be attributable to improvements in perioperative management other than a more restrictive preoperative benzodiazepine administration.

Supraorbital and mini-pterional keyhole craniotomies for brain tumors: a clinical and anatomical comparison of indications and outcomes in 204 cases

OBJECTIVE

The authors' objective was to compare the indications, outcomes, and anatomical limits of supraorbital (SO) and mini-pterional (MP) craniotomies in patients with intra- and extraaxial brain tumors, and to assess approach selection, utility of endoscopy, and surgical field overlap.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted of all brain tumor patients who underwent an SO or MP approach. The analyzed characteristics included pathology, endoscopy use, extent of resection, length of stay (LOS), and complications. On the basis of preoperative MRI data, tumor heatmaps were constructed to compare surgical access provided by both routes, including coronal projection heatmaps for parasellar tumors.

RESULTS

From 2007 to 2020, 158 patients underwent 173 (84.8%) SO craniotomies and 30 patients underwent 31 (15.2%) MP craniotomies; 71 (34.8%) procedures were reoperations. Of these 204 operations, 110 (63.6%) SO and 21 (67.7%) MP approaches were for extraaxial tumors (meningiomas in 65% and 76.2%, respectively). Gliomas and metastases together represented 84.1% and 70% of intraaxial tumors accessed with SO and MP approaches, respectively. Overall, 56.1% of tumors accessed with the SO approach and 41.9% of those accessed with the MP approach were in the parasellar region. Axial projection heatmaps showed that SO access extended along the entire ipsilateral and medial contralateral anterior cranial fossa, parasellar region, ipsilateral sylvian fissure, medial middle cranial fossa, and anterior midbrain, whereas MP access was limited to the ipsilateral middle cranial fossa, sylvian fissure, lateral parasellar region, and posterior aspect of anterior cranial fossa. Coronal projection heatmaps showed that parasellar access extended further superiorly with the SO approach compared with that of the MP approach. Endoscopy was utilized in 98 (56.6%) SO craniotomies and 7 (22.6%) MP craniotomies, with further tumor resection in 48 (49%) and 5 (71.4%) cases, respectively. Endoscope-assisted tumor removal was clustered in areas that were generally at farther distances from the craniotomy or in angled locations such as the cribriform plate region where microscopic visualization is limited. Gross-total or near-total resection was achieved in 120/173 (69%) SO approaches and 21/31 (68%) MP approaches. Major complications occurred in 11 (6.4%) SO approaches and 1 (3.2%) MP approach (p = 0.49). The median LOS decreased to 2 days in the last 2 years of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

This clinical experience suggests the SO and MP craniotomies are versatile, safe, and complementary approaches for tumors located in the anterior and middle cranial fossae and perisylvian and parasellar regions. The SO route, used in 85% of cases, achieved greater overall reach than the MP route. Both approaches may benefit from expanded visualization with endoscopy.

Effect of Electroencephalography Spectral Edge Frequency (SEF) and Patient State Index (PSI)-Guided Propofol-Remifentanil Anesthesia on Delirium After Laparoscopic Surgery: The eMODIPOD Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The effect of SedLine electroencephalography (EEG)-guided anesthetic care on postoperative delirium (POD) has not been studied.

METHODS

This single-center randomized EEG Monitoring tO Decrease the Incidence of Post-Operative Delirium (eMODIPOD) trial involved 1560 patients aged 50 years or above undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Propofol-remifentanil anesthesia was guided either by SedLine (EEG-guided care, n=779) or not (usual care, n=781). The goal of EEG-guided care was to maintain spectral edge frequency between 10 and 15 and patient state index (PSI) between 25 and 50. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD on postoperative days 1 to 5. The secondary outcomes included emergence delirium, composite moderate-to-severe complications, length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission, 30-day hospital readmission and all-cause mortality, and intraoperative awareness.

RESULTS

Of the 1560 randomized patients, 1545 were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. The median propofol administered for anesthesia maintenance was 900 mg and 1000 mg in the EEG-guided and usual care groups, respectively (P=0.21). POD occurred in 1.0% (8/771) and 1.2% (9/774) of patients in the EEG-guided and usual care groups, respectively (risk ratio: 0.89; 95% confidence interval: 0.35-2.30). There were no between-group differences in all secondary outcome measures. Emergence delirium occurred in 11.8% (91/771) and 13.2% (102/774) of the EEG-guided care and usual care groups, respectively (risk ratio: 0.90; 95% confidence interval: 0.69-1.17; P=0.41). Three patients from each group reported intraoperative awareness.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with usual care, SedLine spectral edge frequency-guided and patient state index-guided propofol-remifentanil anesthetic care neither alters anesthetic delivery nor decreases the unexpected low incidence of POD in relatively young Chinese patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.

Delirium in Older Adults: What a Surgeon Needs to Know

Delirium remains a challenging clinical problem in hospitalized older adults, especially for postoperative patients. This complication, with a high risk of postoperative mortality and an increased length of stay, frequently occurs in older adult patients. This brief narrative paper aims to review the recent literature regarding delirium and its most recent update. We also offer physicians a brief and essential clinical practice guide to managing this acute and common disease.

Complication avoidance protocols in endoscopic pituitary adenoma surgery: a retrospective cohort study in 514 patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate the impact of using consistent complication-avoidance protocols in patients undergoing endoscopic pituitary adenoma surgery including techniques for avoiding anosmia, epistaxis, carotid artery injury, hypopituitarism, cerebrospinal fluid leaks and meningitis.

METHODS

All patients undergoing endoscopic adenoma resection from 2010 to 2020 were included. Primary outcomes included 90-day complication rates, gland function outcomes, reoperations, readmissions and length of stay. Secondary outcomes were extent of resection, short-term endocrine remission, vision recovery.

RESULTS

Of 514 patients, (mean age 51 ± 16 years; 78% macroadenomas, 19% prior surgery) major complications occurred in 18(3.5%) patients, most commonly CSF leak (9, 1.7%) and meningitis (4, 0.8%). In 14 of 18 patients, complications were deemed preventable. Four (0.8%) had complications with permanent sequelae (3 before 2016): one unexplained mortality, one stroke, one oculomotor nerve palsy, one oculoparesis. There were no internal carotid artery injuries, permanent visual worsening or permanent anosmia. New hypopituitarism occurred in 23/485(4.7%). Partial or complete hypopituitarism resolution occurred in 102/193(52.8%) patients. Median LOS was 2 days; 98.3% of patients were discharged home. Comparing 18 patients with major complications versus 496 without, median LOS was 7 versus 2 days, respectively p < 0.001. Readmissions occurred in 6%(31/535), mostly for hyponatremia (18/31). Gross total resection was achieved in 214/312(69%) endocrine-inactive adenomas; biochemical remission was achieved in 148/209(71%) endocrine-active adenomas. Visual field or acuity defects improved in 126/138(91.3%) patients.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that conformance to established protocols for endoscopic pituitary surgery may minimize complications, re-admissions and LOS while enhancing the likelihood of preserving gland function, although there remains opportunity for further improvements.

Minimally invasive surgical treatment of intracranial meningiomas in elderly patients (≥ 65 years): outcomes, readmissions, and tumor control

OBJECTIVE

Increased lifespan has led to more elderly patients being diagnosed with meningiomas. In this study, the authors sought to analyze and compare patients ≥ 65 years old with those < 65 years old who underwent minimally invasive surgery for meningioma. To address surgical selection criteria, the authors also assessed a cohort of patients managed without surgery.

METHODS

In a retrospective analysis, consecutive patients with meningiomas who underwent minimally invasive (endonasal, supraorbital, minipterional, transfalcine, or retromastoid) and conventional surgical treatment approaches during the period from 2008 to 2019 were dichotomized into those ≥ 65 and those < 65 years old to compare resection rates, endoscopy use, complications, and length of hospital stay (LOS). A comparator meningioma cohort of patients ≥ 65 years old who were observed without surgery during the period from 2015 to 2019 was also analyzed.

RESULTS

Of 291 patients (median age 60 years, 71.5% females, mean follow-up 36 months) undergoing meningioma resection, 118 (40.5%) were aged ≥ 65 years and underwent 126 surgeries, including 20% redo operations, as follows: age 65-69 years, 46 operations; 70-74 years, 40 operations; 75-79 years, 17 operations; and ≥ 80 years, 23 operations. During 2015-2019, of 98 patients referred for meningioma, 67 (68%) had surgery, 1 (1%) had radiosurgery, and 31 (32%) were observed. In the 11-year surgical cohort, comparing 173 patients < 65 years versus 118 patients ≥ 65 years old, there were no significant differences in tumor location, size, or outcomes. Of 126 cases of surgery in 118 elderly patients, the approach was a minimally invasive approach to skull base meningioma (SBM) in 64 cases (51%) as follows: endonasal 18, supraorbital 28, minipterional 6, and retrosigmoid 12. Endoscope-assisted surgery was performed in 59.5% of patients. A conventional approach to SBM was performed in 15 cases (12%) (endoscope-assisted 13.3%), and convexity craniotomy for non-skull base meningioma (NSBM) in 47 cases (37%) (endoscope-assisted 17%). In these three cohorts (minimally invasive SBM, conventional SBM, and NSBM), the gross-total/near-total resection rates were 59.5%, 60%, and 91.5%, respectively, and an improved or stable Karnofsky Performance Status score occurred in 88.6%, 86.7%, and 87.2% of cases, respectively. For these 118 elderly patients, the median LOS was 3 days, and major complications occurred in 10 patients (8%) as follows: stroke 4%, vision decline 3%, systemic complications 0.7%, and wound infection or death 0. Eighty-three percent of patients were discharged home, and readmissions occurred in 5 patients (4%). Meningioma recurrence occurred in 4 patients (3%) and progression in 11 (9%). Multivariate regression analysis showed no significance of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status score, comorbidities, or age subgroups on outcomes; patients aged ≥ 80 years showed a trend of longer hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis suggests that elderly patients with meningiomas, when carefully selected, generally have excellent surgical outcomes and tumor control. When applied appropriately, use of minimally invasive approaches and endoscopy may be helpful in achieving maximal safe resection, reducing complications, and promoting short hospitalizations. Notably, one-third of our elderly meningioma patients referred for possible surgery from 2015 to 2019 were managed nonoperatively.

Streamlining brain tumor surgery care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case-control study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a reconsideration of surgical patient management in the setting of scarce resources and risk of viral transmission. Herein we assess the impact of implementing a protocol of more rigorous patient education, recovery room assessment for non-ICU admission, earlier mobilization and post-discharge communication for patients undergoing brain tumor surgery.

METHODS

A case-control retrospective review was undertaken at a community hospital with a dedicated neurosurgery and otolaryngology team using minimally invasive surgical techniques, total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and early post-operative imaging protocols. All patients undergoing craniotomy or endoscopic endonasal removal of a brain, skull base or pituitary tumor were included during two non-overlapping periods: March 2019-January 2020 (pre-pandemic epoch) versus March 2020-January 2021 (pandemic epoch with streamlined care protocol implemented). Data collection included demographics, preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status, tumor pathology, and tumor resection and remission rates. Primary outcomes were ICU utilization and hospital length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes were complications, readmissions and reoperations.

FINDINGS

Of 295 patients, 163 patients were treated pre-pandemic (58% women, mean age 53.2±16 years) and 132 were treated during the pandemic (52% women, mean age 52.3±17 years). From pre-pandemic to pandemic, ICU utilization decreased from 92(54%) to 43(29%) of operations (p<0.001) and hospital LOS≤1 day increased from 21(12.2%) to 60(41.4%), p<0.001, respectively. For craniotomy cohort, median LOS was 2 days for both epochs; median ICU LOS decreased from 1 to 0 days (p<0.001), ICU use decreased from 73(80%) to 29(33%),(p<0.001). For endonasal cohort, median LOS decreased from 2 to 1 days; median ICU LOS was 0 days for both epochs; (p<0.001). There were no differences pre-pandemic versus pandemic in ASA scores, resection/remission rates, readmissions or reoperations.

CONCLUSION

This experience suggests the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for implementing a brain tumor care protocol to facilitate safely decreasing ICU utilization and accelerating discharge home without an increase in complications, readmission or reoperations. More rigorous patient education, recovery room assessment for non-ICU admission, earlier mobilization and post-discharge communication, layered upon a foundation of minimally invasive surgery, TIVA anesthesia and early post-operative imaging are possible contributors to these favorable trends.

The Effects of Propofol and Sevoflurane on Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium is associated with adverse postoperative outcomes. However, whether intravenous and inhalation anesthetics are associated with different risks of postoperative delirium remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We set up to determine the incidence and duration of postoperative delirium in older patients who had surgery under the intravenous anesthetic propofol or the inhalational anesthetic sevoflurane.

METHODS

Participants were patients who had total hip/knee replacements and were randomized to propofol (N = 106) or sevoflurane (N = 103) anesthesia group. The Confusion Assessment Method was employed by investigators who were blinded to the anesthesia regimen to assess the incidence and duration (days of postoperative delirium per person) of postoperative delirium on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3.

RESULTS

A total of 209 participants (71.2±6.7 years old, 29.2% male) were included in the final data analysis. The incidence of postoperative delirium was 33.0% with propofol anesthesia and 23.3% with sevoflurane anesthesia (p = 0.119, Chi-square test), and we estimated that we would need 316 participants in each arm to detect a potential statistically significant difference. Days of postoperative delirium per person were higher in the propofol (0.5±0.8) anesthesia group compared to the sevoflurane anesthesia group (0.3±0.5, p = 0.049, Student's t-test).

CONCLUSION

This pilot study established a system to compare effects of different anesthetics and generated a hypothesis that propofol trended to have a higher incidence and had longer duration of postoperative delirium than sevoflurane. Additional studies with a larger sample size are needed to test this hypothesis.

Pituitary adenomas in older adults (≥ 65 years): 90-day outcomes and readmissions: a 10-year endoscopic endonasal surgical experience

INTRODUCTION

Longer lifespan and newer imaging protocols have led to more older adults being diagnosed with pituitary adenomas. Herein, we describe outcomes of patients ≥ 65 years undergoing endoscopic adenoma removal. To address selection criteria, we also assess a conservatively managed cohort.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 90-day outcomes of patients undergoing endoscopic pituitary adenomectomy from 2010 to 2019 by a neurosurgical/ENT team was performed. Tumor subtype, cavernous sinus invasion, extent of resection/early remission, endocrinology outcomes, complications, re-operations and readmissions were analyzed. A comparator cohort ≥ 65 years undergoing clinical surveillance without surgery was also analyzed.

RESULTS

Of 468 patients operated on for pituitary adenoma, 123 (26%) were ≥ 65 years (range 65-93 years); 106 (86.2%) had endocrine-inactive adenomas; 18 (14.6%) had prior surgery. Of 106 patients with endocrine-inactive adenomas, GTR was achieved in 70/106 (66%). Of 17 patients with endocrine-active adenomas, early biochemical remission was: Cushing's 6/8; acromegaly 1/4; prolactinomas 1/5. Gland function recovery occurred in 28/58 (48.3%) patients with various degrees of preoperative hypopituitarism. New anterior hypopituitarism occurred in 3/110 (2.4%) patients; permanent DI in none. Major complications in 123 patients were: CSF leak 2 (1.6%), meningitis 1 (0.8%), vision decline 1 (0.8%). There were no vascular injuries, operative hematomas, anosmia, deaths, MIs, or thromboembolic events. Median length of stay was 2 days. Readmissions occurred in 14/123 (11.3%) patients, 57% for delayed hyponatremia. Intra-cohort analysis by age (65-69, 70-74, 75-79,  ≥ 80 years) revealed no outcome differences. Cavernous sinus invasion (OR 7.7, CI 1.37-44.8; p = 0.02) and redo-surgery (OR 8.5, CI 1.7-42.8; p = 0.009) were negative predictors for GTR/NTR. Of 105 patients evaluated for presumed pituitary adenoma beginning in 2015, 72 (69%) underwent surgery, 8 (7%) had prolactinomas treated with cabergoline and 25 (24%) continue clinical surveillance without surgery, including two on new hormone replacement.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that elderly patients carefully selected for endoscopic adenoma removal can have excellent short-term outcomes including high resection rates, low complication rates and short length of stay. Our experience supports a multidisciplinary approach and the concept of pituitary centers of excellence. Based on our observations, approximately 25% of elderly patients with pituitary adenomas referred for possible surgery can be monitored closely without surgery.

Intraoperative monitoring parameters and postoperative delirium: Results of a prospective cross-sectional trial

Postoperative delirium (PODE) can be associated with severe clinical complications; therefore, preventive measures are important. The objective of this trial was to elucidate whether haemodynamic or electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring parameters during general anaesthesia or sevoflurane dosage correlate with the incidence of PODE. In addition, sevoflurane dosages and EEG stages during the steady state of anaesthesia were analyzed in patients of different ages.Eighty adult patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery received anaesthesia with sevoflurane and sufentanil according to the clinical routine. Anaesthesiologists were blinded to the EEG. Haemodynamic parameters, EEG parameters, sevoflurane dosage, and occurrence of PODE were analyzed.Thirteen patients (4 out of 33 women, 9 out of 47 men) developed PODE. Patients with PODE had a greater mean arterial pressure (MAP) variance (267.26 (139.40) vs 192.56 (99.64) mmHg2, P = .04), had a longer duration of EEG burst suppression or suppression (27.09 (45.32) vs 5.23 (10.80) minutes, P = .03), and received higher minimum alveolar sevoflurane concentrations (MAC) (1.22 (0.22) vs 1.09 (0.17), P = .03) than patients without PODE. MAC values were associated with wide ranges of EEG index values representing different levels of hypnosis.The results suggest that, in order to prevent PODE, a great variance of MAP, higher doses of sevoflurane, and deep levels of anaesthesia should be avoided. Titrating sevoflurane according to end-tidal gas monitoring and vital signs can lead to unnecessarily deep or light hypnosis. Intraoperative EEG monitoring may help to prevent PODE.

Effects of continuous intravenous infusion of propofol on intestinal flora in rats

Under normal circumstances, the gut microbiota, host, and external environment establish a dynamic ecological balance and maintain human health. Once this balance is broken, the intestinal flora dysregulation will form, manifested by changes in the diversity, richness, proportion, location and biological characteristics of the gut microbiota. The hypothesis that propofol alters gut microbes was tested in a rat model with continuous intravenous infusion of propofol. Eight male wistar rats underwent tail vein puncture and catheterization respectively, and were continuously pumped with propofol for 3 h. Feces were collected from each rat before and on the 1 st, 3rd, 7th and 14th days after intervention. Finally, the effect of continuous intravenous infusion of propofol on the intestinal flora of rats was analyzed by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplification sequencing. Through high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis, we found that continuous intravenous infusion of propofol had little effect on intestinal flora in rats. Analysis of Alpha (shannon diversity index) showed that group A-7 was different from group P and group A-1 (P = 0.034), and recovered on the 14th day. Although the species diversity analysis showed a significant difference among the five groups (P = 0.049), the distribution of most fecal samples in the PCoA showed a clustered distribution, indicating similarity. In addition, no significant difference was found in the statistical KEGG difference pathway through LEfSe analysis.

Glycation Increases the Risk of Microbial Traversal through an Endothelial Model of the Human Blood-Brain Barrier after Use of Anesthetics

The function of the human blood–brain barrier (BBB), consisting mainly of the basement membrane and microvascular endothelial cells, is to protect the brain and regulate its metabolism. Dysfunction of the BBB can lead to increased permeability, which can be linked with several pathologies, including meningitis, sepsis, and postoperative delirium. Advanced glycation end products (AGE) are non-enzymatic, posttranslational modifications of proteins, which can affect their function. Increased AGE levels are strongly associated with ageing and degenerative diseases including diabetes. Several studies demonstrated that the formation of AGE interfere with the function of the BBB and may change its permeability for soluble compounds. However, it is still unclear whether AGE can facilitate microbial traversal through the BBB and how small compounds including anesthetics modulate this process. Therefore, we developed a cellular model, which allows for the convenient testing of different factors and compounds with a direct correlation to bacterial traversal through the BBB. Our results demonstrate that both glycation and anesthetics interfere with the function of the BBB and promote microbial traversal. Importantly, we also show that the essential nutrient and antioxidant ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, can reduce the microbial traversal through the BBB and partly reverse the effects of AGE.

Anesthesia and Cognitive Outcome in Elderly Patients: A Narrative Viewpoint

Better ways to manage preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care of surgical patients is the bailiwick of anesthesiologists. Although we care for patients of all ages, protecting the cognitive capacity of elderly patients more frequently requires procedures and practices that go beyond routine care for nonelderly adults. This narrative review will consider current understanding of the reasons that elderly patients need enhanced care, and recommendations for that care based on established and recent empirical research. In that latter regard, unless and until we are able to classify anesthetic neurotoxicity as a rare complication, the first-do-no-harm approach should: (1) add anesthesia to surgical intervention on the physiological cost side of the cost/benefit ratio when making decisions about whether and when to proceed with surgery; (2) minimize anesthetic depth and periods of electroencephalographic suppression; (3) limit the duration of continuous anesthesia whenever possible; (4) consider the possibility that regional anesthesia with deep sedation may be as neurotoxic as general anesthesia; and (5) when feasible, use regional anesthesia with light or no sedation.

Postanesthesia care unit delirium following robot-assisted vs open retropubic radical prostatectomy: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of early postoperative delirium in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) between robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in the extreme Trendelenburg position and open retropubic radical prostatectomy (ORP) in supine position.

METHODS

Patients were screened for delirium signs 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes following extubation.

RESULTS

PACU delirium was present in 39.3% of RARP (64/163) patients and 41.8% of ORP (77/184) patients. Higher age (OR 1.072, 95%CI: 1.034-1.111, P < .001), total intravenous anesthesia (OR 2.001, 95%CI: 1.243-3.221, P = .004), and anesthesia duration (OR 1.255, 95%CI: 1.067-1.476, P = .006) were associated with PACU delirium, but no association was found between surgical technique and PACU delirium.

CONCLUSION

Compared with inhalational anesthesia, total intravenous anesthesia using propofol-sufentanil, higher age, and longer duration of anesthesia were associated with PACU delirium. Based on these findings, adverse effects on postoperative recovery and delirium signs do not have to be considered in the choice of surgical approach for radical prostatectomy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

https://www.drks.de/, identifier: DRKS00010014.

Inadequate emergence after non-cardiac surgery-A prospective observational study in 1000 patients

INTRODUCTION

The post-anaesthetic phase is most often uncomplicated, but patients may experience inadequate emergence (IE) characterized by unrest, restlessness, aggressiveness or in contrast sedation or lack of initiative. This may increase length of stay (LOS) and post-operative complications. The aim of this study was to investigate frequency, risk factors and consequences of IE.

METHODS

We conducted an observational cohort study including 1000 orthopaedic and abdominal surgical patients, screened with the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC) before induction of anaesthesia, at arrival at the post-operative care unit, and just before discharge from PACU. IE was defined as a Nu-DESC score ≥2 after surgery. Predictors included surgical procedure, type and duration of anaesthesia, age, ASA-score, sex and post-operative pain. Data were analysed during adjusted logistic regression and Wilcoxon rank sum test, the primary outcome being LOS.

RESULTS

IE occurred in 103 of 1000 patients (10.3%, 95% CI 8.6-12.3%). LOS was median 2 vs 1 day in patients with and without IE, mean difference was 1.3 (SD 6.2) days (P = 0.036). Thirty-day mortality was 2.9 vs 1.0% (P = 0.92) and admission to ICU 1.0 vs 0.9% (P = 0.66) in patients with and without IE. Significant associations to IE were found for inhalational anaesthetics (OR 2.65; 95% CI: 1.57-4.46), duration of anaesthesia ≥2 hours (OR 1.98; 95% CI: 1.14-3.44) and ASA-score ≥3 (OR 2.74; 95% CI: 1.64-4.57).

CONCLUSION

One of 10 patients had IE as defined by the Nu-DESC score, which was significantly associated with increased LOS. Longer duration of anaesthesia, inhalational anaesthesia and ASA ≥3 were significantly associated to this.

Preoperative Anxiety as a Predictor of Delirium in Cancer Patients: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium is a common and important complication in cancer patients. We need to identify patients at high risk of postoperative delirium such that it can be prevented preoperatively or in early postoperative phase. The aim of this study was to investigate whether preoperative anxiety predicted onset of postoperative delirium in cancer patients, not only in order to identify high-risk groups but also to help develop new preventive approaches.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational cohort study of cancer patients undergoing tumor resections. Postoperative delirium was assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Preoperative anxiety was evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A), and we defined HADS-A > 7 as clinical anxiety. We conducted multivariate logistic regression to determine which factors were predictors of delirium.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 91 patients, 29 of whom met the criteria for postoperative delirium. In multivariable logistic regression, age (5-year increments; odds ratio (OR) = 1.565, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.057-2.317, p = 0.025) and HADS-A > 7 (OR = 4.370, 95% CI = 1.051-18.178, p = 0.043) predicted delirium onset. These variables explained 74.2% of the variance.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative anxiety strongly predicted postoperative delirium in cancer patients. Our findings suggest that preoperative anxiety may be a new target for prevention of postoperative delirium. Trial registration number This study was registered at UMIN000018980.

Incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly ambulatory patients: A prospective evaluation using the FAM-CAM instrument

BACKGROUND

While the incidence of postoperative delirium is high in aged hospitalized patients undergoing major surgery, little is known concerning patients undergoing ambulatory surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence of postoperative delirium in aged patients after hospital discharge from an ambulatory surgery unit.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

PATIENTS

Elderly patients (≥75 years) scheduled for a surgical procedure on an ambulatory basis.

INTERVENTIONS

Filling of the Family Confusion Assessment Method (FAM-CAM) questionnaire (11 items) during a phone interview of family caregivers on two separate occasions: five to three days before surgery, and three to five days after surgery.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The detection of acute onset and fluctuating course inattention, disorganized thinking, altered level of consciousness, disorientation, perceptual disturbances, and psychomotor agitation from the observations of family caregivers.

RESULTS

Signs of delirium appeared de novo in 2 of 141 patients (incidence 1.4%) in the postoperative period: a 80-years old man who was disoriented and had incoherent and illogical speech on postoperative day 1 of resection of a cephalic cutaneous melanoma under local anesthesia and sedation (midazolam, sufentanil, and propofol), and a 83-years old woman with a pre-existing mental confusion, who experienced visual and hearing hallucinations and had inappropriate behaviour on postoperative day 2 of cataract surgery performed under episcleral block. Both patients returned to their preoperative states within a few days.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the FAM-CAM instrument for the detection of postoperative delirium in ambulatory patients, the study showed that the incidence of cognitive changes in the ambulatory setting is very low. Among several putative factors, the lightness of the surgical procedure, the wide use of regional anesthesia, and the short hospital stay may be contributing factors to this result. The findings of this study need to be confirmed in a larger sample of patients.

Significant and safe reduction of propofol sedation dose for geriatric population undergoing pacemaker implantation: randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

A previous multidisciplinary pilot study based on computer simulations for the geriatric population showed that a dose of 0.5 mg/kg/h of propofol could sedate patients older than 65 for pacemaker implantation. The present study validates that the pacemaker implantation can be done in the elderly using 0.5-1 mg/kg/h of propofol with hemodynamic stability.

METHODS

66 patients from 65 to 88 years old scheduled for pacemaker implantation were randomly assigned one of three doses of propofol. The first group received 2 mg/kg/h of propofol (P2) that is within normal range of the sedation dose. The second group received 1 mg/kg/h (P1) dose and the third group received the dose of 0.5 mg/kg/h (P0.5) according to the simulation-predicted dose for geriatric populations.

RESULTS

All patients kept MAP between 76 and 85 mmHg, with no hypotension episodes in any of the groups; therefore, they were all hemodynamically stable during the procedure. BIS was between 80 and 65 during the pacemaker implantation for the three groups, BIS of group P2 was significantly lower than the other groups. BIS in groups P1 and P0.5 was within the appropriated range for moderate sedation. Brice was positive for auditory recalls only when there was arousing noise in the operating room.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate sedation, adequate for pacemaker implantation, can be achieved infusing 0.5-1 mg/kg/h of propofol in elderly patients when the patient has proper analgesia management at the device implantation site. The second important condition is to avoid unnecessary and alerting auditory and mechanical stimuli in the operating room, so that the patient will remain calm.

Intravenous versus inhalational maintenance of anaesthesia for postoperative cognitive outcomes in elderly people undergoing non-cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND

The use of anaesthetics in the elderly surgical population (more than 60 years of age) is increasing. Postoperative delirium, an acute condition characterized by reduced awareness of the environment and a disturbance in attention, typically occurs between 24 and 72 hours after surgery and can affect up to 60% of elderly surgical patients. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a new-onset of cognitive impairment which may persist for weeks or months after surgery.Traditionally, surgical anaesthesia has been maintained with inhalational agents. End-tidal concentrations require adjustment to balance the risks of accidental awareness and excessive dosing in elderly people. As an alternative, propofol-based total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) offers a more rapid recovery and reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting. Using TIVA with a target controlled infusion (TCI) allows plasma and effect-site concentrations to be calculated using an algorithm based on age, gender, weight and height of the patient.TIVA is a viable alternative to inhalational maintenance agents for surgical anaesthesia in elderly people. However, in terms of postoperative cognitive outcomes, the optimal technique is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To compare maintenance of general anaesthesia for elderly people undergoing non-cardiac surgery using propofol-based TIVA or inhalational anaesthesia on postoperative cognitive function, mortality, risk of hypotension, length of stay in the postanaesthesia care unit (PACU), and hospital stay.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2017, Issue 11), MEDLINE (1946 to November 2017), Embase (1974 to November 2017), PsycINFO (1887 to November 2017). We searched clinical trials registers for ongoing studies, and conducted backward and forward citation searching of relevant articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with participants over 60 years of age scheduled for non-cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia. We planned to also include quasi-randomized trials. We compared maintenance of anaesthesia with propofol-based TIVA versus inhalational maintenance of anaesthesia.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and synthesized findings.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 28 RCTs with 4507 randomized participants undergoing different types of surgery (predominantly cardiovascular, laparoscopic, abdominal, orthopaedic and ophthalmic procedures). We found no quasi-randomized trials. Four studies are awaiting classification because we had insufficient information to assess eligibility.All studies compared maintenance with propofol-based TIVA versus inhalational maintenance of anaesthesia. Six studies were multi-arm and included additional TIVA groups, additional inhalational maintenance or both. Inhalational maintenance agents included sevoflurane (19 studies), isoflurane (eight studies), and desflurane (three studies), and was not specified in one study (reported as an abstract). Some studies also reported use of epidural analgesia/anaesthesia, fentanyl and remifentanil.We found insufficient reporting of randomization methods in many studies and all studies were at high risk of performance bias because it was not feasible to blind anaesthetists to study groups. Thirteen studies described blinding of outcome assessors. Three studies had a high of risk of attrition bias, and we noted differences in the use of analgesics between groups in six studies, and differences in baseline characteristics in five studies. Few studies reported clinical trials registration, which prevented assessment of risk of selective reporting bias.We found no evidence of a difference in incidences of postoperative delirium according to type of anaesthetic maintenance agents (odds ratio (OR) 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15 to 2.26; 321 participants; five studies; very low-certainty evidence); we noted during sensitivity analysis that using different time points in one study may influence direction of this result. Thirteen studies (3215 participants) reported POCD, and of these, six studies reported data that could not be pooled; we noted no difference in scores of POCD in four of these and in one study, data were at a time point incomparable to other studies. We excluded one large study from meta-analysis because study investigators had used non-standard anaesthetic management and this study was not methodologically comparable to other studies. We combined data for seven studies and found low-certainty evidence that TIVA may reduce POCD (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.87; 869 participants).We found no evidence of a difference in mortality at 30 days (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.33 to 4.45; 271 participants; three studies; very low-certainty evidence). Twelve studies reported intraoperative hypotension. We did not perform meta-analysis for 11 studies for this outcome. We noted visual inconsistencies in these data, which may be explained by possible variation in clinical management and medication used to manage hypotension in each study (downgraded to low-certainty evidence); one study reported data in a format that could not be combined and we noted little or no difference between groups in intraoperative hypotension for this study. Eight studies reported length of stay in the PACU, and we did not perform meta-analysis for seven studies. We noted visual inconsistencies in these data, which may be explained by possible differences in definition of time points for this outcome (downgraded to very low-certainty evidence); data were unclearly reported in one study. We found no evidence of a difference in length of hospital stay according to type of anaesthetic maintenance agent (mean difference (MD) 0 days, 95% CI -1.32 to 1.32; 175 participants; four studies; very low-certainty evidence).We used the GRADE approach to downgrade the certainty of the evidence for each outcome. Reasons for downgrading included: study limitations, because some included studies insufficiently reported randomization methods, had high attrition bias, or high risk of selective reporting bias; imprecision, because we found few studies; inconsistency, because we noted heterogeneity across studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We are uncertain whether maintenance with propofol-based TIVA or with inhalational agents affect incidences of postoperative delirium, mortality, or length of hospital stay because certainty of the evidence was very low. We found low-certainty evidence that maintenance with propofol-based TIVA may reduce POCD. We were unable to perform meta-analysis for intraoperative hypotension or length of stay in the PACU because of heterogeneity between studies. We identified 11 ongoing studies from clinical trials register searches; inclusion of these studies in future review updates may provide more certainty for the review outcomes.

Sevoflurane may be more beneficial than propofol in patients receiving endoscopic variceal ligation and endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy: A randomized, double-blind study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of various general anesthesia regimens during endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy (EVS). A total of 123 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status III and IV, aged 40-70 years, undergoing general anesthesia for EVL and EVS were randomly divided into two groups: Sevoflurane anesthesia (group S; n=60) and propofol anesthesia (group P; n=60). Vital signs, particularly heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP), were monitored. The designated time points were as follows: 5 min before induction (T0), and 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min after intubation (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7, respectively). Time intervals were recorded, including recovery time and extubation time. Following surgery, the observer recorded the Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) score and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. Adverse reactions were noted. Results demonstrated that there were significant differences in MAP between the two groups at T2, T3, T5, T6 and T7 (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in HR between the two groups at T2, T3 and T4 (P<0.05). Recovery time and extubation time in group P were significantly longer than those in group S (P<0.05; 18.38±2.25 min vs. 14.57±1.04 min and 21.70±2.70 min vs. 15.83±0.88 min, respectively). The rate of ephedrine injected was 58.3% (35/60 patients) in group P vs. 28.3% (17/60 patients) in group S (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the RSS score between the two groups 5 min after extubation (P<0.05). VRS scores demonstrated that anesthetists and patients were significantly more satisfied with the procedure in group S than in group P (P<0.01). In conclusion, the superiority and special clinical value of inhalational anesthesia has been demonstrated during EVL and EVS attributed to stable hemodynamics and high quality of anesthesia recovery in the present study.

NeurimmiRs and Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Hip/Knee Replacement: A Pilot Study

Objective: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent complication after surgery and its occurrence is associated with poor outcomes. The pathophysiology of this complication is not clear, but identification of risk factors is important for positive postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between the preoperative expression levels of microRNA (miR)-146a, miR-125b, and miR-181c in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum and the development and severity of POD.

Methods: Forty elderly patients aged 65 years old and older admitted for elective total hip/knee replacement under spinal anesthesia. Preoperatively, baseline cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Each patient was interviewed daily on the first and second postoperative days. Delirium was diagnosed using the Confusion Assessment Method, and delirium severity was measured using the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Preoperative serum and CSF miR levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results: POD was detected in 27.5% (11/40) of patients. Up-regulation of miR-146a and miR-181c in CSF and down-regulation of miR-146a in serum were observed preoperatively in patients who developed POD, while patients with and without POD did not differ in serum or CSF levels of miR-125b. Delirious patients had higher CSF/serum ratios of miR-146a and miR-181c levels than non-delirious patients. The lower CSF miR-146a and CSF/serum miR-146a ratios were significantly associated with milder POD severity, represented by a lower MDAS score.

Conclusion: The dysregulation of preoperative miR-146a and miR-181c in CSF and serum was associated with the development and severity of POD. These NeurimmiRs might participate in the neuropathogenesis of POD, pending further investigations.

Clinical trial registration: this study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02817386).