The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of preemptive intravenous ibuprofen administration on delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR), postoperative pain management, and the overall quality of recovery in geriatric patients undergoing open inguinal hernia repair. Elderly patients are particularly susceptible to perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction, which is often triggered by the systemic inflammatory response following surgery and anesthesia.

In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, 76 male patients aged 65-84 were divided into two groups. Group 1 received 800 mg of intravenous ibuprofen 30 minutes before anesthesia induction, while Group 2 received a 0.9% NaCl solution as a placebo. The study focuses on three main clinical outcomes:

• Neurocognitive Recovery: Cognitive performance is assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test at baseline, and on postoperative days 1 and 7 to determine if preemptive ibuprofen can reduce the incidence of dNCR by suppressing neuroinflammation.
• Analgesic Requirement and Pain Control: The study measures postoperative pain scores (VAS) and total opioid (tramadol) consumption over the first 24 hours to evaluate the "opioid-sparing" effect of preemptive ibuprofen.
• Quality of Recovery: The overall recovery quality is assessed on the 1st postoperative day using the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scale, which measures the patient's subjective physical and emotional well-being.

The hypothesis is that by mitigating the surgical inflammatory response, preemptive ibuprofen will protect cognitive function, significantly lower the patient's reliance on opioids, and enhance the overall quality of the postoperative recovery process.

This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed to investigate the effects of preemptive intravenous ibuprofen on neurocognitive recovery, pain management, and the quality of recovery in geriatric patients. The study included 76 male patients, aged 65-84 years, with an ASA physical status of I-III, scheduled for elective open inguinal hernia repair.

Study Protocol:

Patients were randomly assigned into two equal groups (n=38 each) using a sealed envelope method:

1. Ibuprofen Group (Group 1): Received 800 mg of intravenous ibuprofen (diluted in 200 mL of 0.9% NaCl) administered via infusion 30 minutes before anesthesia induction.
2. Control Group (Group 2): Received 200 mL of 0.9% NaCl (placebo) administered via infusion 30 minutes before anesthesia induction.

Anesthesia and Monitoring:

A standardized general anesthesia protocol was applied to all participants. Monitoring included ECG, non-invasive blood pressure, and pulse oximetry. Additionally, the Bispectral Index (BIS) was used to monitor anesthesia depth (target: 40-60), and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) was utilized to monitor bilateral cerebral oxygenation.

Outcomes and Assessments:

• Neurocognitive Recovery: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to evaluate cognitive functions at three time points: 24 hours preoperatively (baseline), on postoperative day 1 (POD1), and on postoperative day 7 (POD7). Delayed Neurocognitive Recovery (dNCR) was defined as a decrease of \ge2 points in the MoCA score compared to baseline.
• Analgesic Requirement: Postoperative pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at rest and during movement at the 1st, 6th, 12th, and 24th hours. Total opioid (tramadol) consumption and the need for rescue analgesia were recorded over the first 24 hours.
• Quality of Recovery: Subjective recovery quality was assessed on the first postoperative day using the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scale, which evaluates physical and emotional well-being.

The study hypothesizes that preemptive ibuprofen administration mitigates the systemic inflammatory response triggered by surgery, thereby reducing neuroinflammation, decreasing postoperative opioid reliance, and improving the overall quality of recovery for elderly patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male patients between the ages of 65 and 84.
• ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status I - III.
• Preoperative Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of \ge24.
• Undergoing elective (non-emergency) open inguinal hernia repair using the
• Lichtenstein tension-free method with mesh.
• Literate and able to communicate sufficiently to understand Turkish cognitive tests.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Illiterate patients.
• History of active alcoholism or substance abuse.
• Neuro-psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, advanced stroke sequelae, schizophrenia, or major depressive disorder.
• Active metastatic cancer or terminal illness.
• Known allergy to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (especially ibuprofen), acetylsalicylic acid, or other drugs used in the study.
• Advanced COPD or uncontrolled bronchial asthma (FEV1 <50%).
• Uncontrolled hypertension, congestive heart failure (NYHA Class IV), recent myocardial infarction, or serious arrhythmias.
• Thrombocytopenia (<50,000), coagulopathy, active peptic ulcer, or recent gastrointestinal bleeding history (within the last year).
• Advanced liver failure (Child-Pugh C) or kidney failure (creatinine >2.5 mg/dL or dialysis requirement).
• Body Mass Index (BMI) \ge35 (morbid obesity) or body weight <40 kg.

The individual participant data (IPD) collected during the study will not be shared with external researchers to protect participant confidentiality and comply with the institutional ethics committee guidelines. Only aggregated data and statistical results presented in the final thesis and related publications will be made available.

A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants were assigned to either an experimental group receiving 800 mg IV ibuprofen or a control group receiving 0.9% NaCl, both administered 30 minutes prior to anesthesia induction.