The Effect of Stellate Ganglion Block on Postoperative Sleep Disturbance and Cognitive Function in Elderly Surgical Patients

The Effect of Stellate Ganglion Block on Postoperative Sleep Disturbance and Cognitive Function in Elderly Surgical Patients

Postoperative delirium is an acute state of confusion, which is characterized by changes in attention and cognitive functions and fluctuations in consciousness; postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a common central nervous system complication in elderly patients after surgery, often manifested as memory, Obstacles in abstract thinking and orientation are accompanied by a decline in social activity ability. Postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction can prolong hospital stay, increase medical expenses, affect postoperative functional recovery, and even increase postoperative mortality. Sleep disorders are a group of diseases that affect the ability to sleep well regularly and cause severe impairment of social and occupational functions. Stellate ganglion block is a selective sympathetic ganglion block, in which a local anesthetic is injected into the loose connective tissue of the neck including the stellate ganglion. There are complex connections between stellate ganglia and multiple brain regions in the brain, which can improve postoperative delirium, cognitive function and sleep disturbance to a certain extent, and have certain guiding significance for postoperative rehabilitation of elderly patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 60 years;
2. ASA grade I-III;
3. Operative time ≥ 2 h for laparoscopic radical resection of a suspected; gastrointestinal malignancy.

Exclusion criteria :

1. Patient's lack of consent to participate;
2. Known allergy to anesthetic drugs;
3. History of psychiatric or neurological disease(s);
4. Long-term use of opioids or sedative-hypnotic drugs;
5. Previous or planned neurosurgical procedures;
6. contraindications to epidural anesthesia;
7. Hearing or visual impairment that precludes scale assessment.