The Comparison of Incidence and Risk Factors of Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients After Lower Extremity Surgery

Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine

The aim of this study is to compare the risk factors and the incidence of delirium following orthopedic surgery under the general or regional anesthesia in elderly patients.

One hundred twenty elderly patients aged ≥65 years scheduled for total hip or knee arthroplasty and femur fracture surgery were enrolled into the study. Patients were allocated into two groups to receive regional anesthesia (group R, n=50) or general anesthesia (group G, n=70). Hemodynamic and blood parameters, potential risk factors of delirium including age, sex, duration of surgery, the type of anesthesia, coexisting disease, smoking and amount of drug used delirium tests (CAM and DRS-R-98), hospital stay and costs were recorded for all patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-III,
• 120 patients aged ≥65 years scheduled for total hip or knee arthroplasty and femur fracture surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

• Exclusion criteria were patient refusal, abuse of alcohol and/or drugs
• Hypersensitivity to local anesthetics
• Vertebral abnormality
• Previous lumbar vertebra surgery
• Coagulation disorder
• Infection (systemic or local)
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Neurosurgery
• Vascular surgery
• Frequent use of analgesic drug
• ≥5 drugs per day and psychiatric medication