Effect of Preoperative Hospitalization Duration on Post-operative Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients Who Underwent Hip Surgery Under Regional Anesthesia

The study evaluated Mini Mental Test scores of patients who received total hip replacement surgery in Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital from November 2013 to September 2014. In the assessment, Mini Mental Test (MMT) was used for literate and Modified Mini Mental Test (MMMT) was used for illiterate patients. Test scores were obtained on the initial admission day (MMT1), 24 hours prior to surgery (MMT2) and 24 hours after the surgery (MMT3). A drop of 4 points or more between each test was defined as significant cognitive dysfunction development. Patients who did not have any change or a change less than 4 points between MMT1 and MMT3 were grouped as "no cognitive dysfunction" (Group 1) and patients with a difference more than 4 points between MMT1 and MMT3 were grouped as "cognitive dysfunction" (Group 2). All analyses were performed using those 2 patient groups.

Patients who were planned to undergo total hip replacement surgery without cement over 18 years of age and within ASA Group 1, 2 and 3 according to ASA physical status score were included in the study.

Patients younger than 18, who did not speak Turkish, with known cancer history, previous steroid treatment, SVO history in last 6 months, with central nervous system diseases (current meningitis, encephalitis, tumors, major degenerative diseases), with dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, pregnant patients, patients with neuropsychiatric diseases or received antidepressant, antipsychotic or anticonvulsive treatment in the last 6 months, uncooperative patients, patients with substance abuse problems, patients with severe organ failure (end-stage liver failure, dialysis-dependent kidney failure), patients who required ICU following surgery, patients where regional anesthesia was contraindicated (Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), clotting disorders, infection on operational site) were excluded from the study.

No premedication was done on patients during preoperative period. Hydration during preoperative period was done by IV 0.9% NaCl aqueous solution with a fasting period of 6-10 hours prior to surgery.

In our study, combined spinal-epidural anesthesia was used for anesthesia for all the patients. Surgical intervention was allowed on the patients with sensory block on T8 dermatome levels. Patients also received 0.5 mg IV bolus midazolam with Ramsey Sedation Scale 3.