19 Aug More Attention To Cognitive Effects of Anesthesia May Be Needed
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jan G. Jakobsson
Institution for Clinical Science
Karolinska Institutet, Danderyds Hospital
Stockholm, Sweden
Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Jakobsson: We found that anaesthesiologists and nurse anaesthetists were concerned about the risk for neurocognitive side effects, but there routines and practice for preoperative identification of patients at risk, intraoperative management to minimise risk and assessment and management of patients showing signs and/or symptoms of neurocognitive side effects after anaesthesia was rarely at place.
Medical Research: Were any of the findings unexpected?
Dr. Jakobsson: The concern around cardiovascular and respiratory adverse effects associated to anaesthesia among anaesthesia personnel has a long history, maintaining vital signs within normal ranges is one of major goals for the intraoperative anaesthesia management. With the increasing number of elderly and also more fragile patient scheduled for surgery and anaesthesia and having in mind the resources neurcognitive side effects occupies when they occur suggest that an increased awareness is needed.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Jakobsson: It seems obvious and the responders also agreed that there is a need for more education and planning in how to minimise the occurrence and optimise the management of neurocognitive side effects in conjunction to surgery/anaesthesia.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Jakobsson: I think there is a need for further research about how we can improve the anaesthesia delivery, what drugs, how to dose and how to best maintain homeostasis in patients at risk.
Citation:
Pether K. Jildenstål, Narinder Rawal, Jan L. Hallén, Lars Berggren, Jan G. Jakobsson
Annals of Medicine and Surgery Available online 12 August 2014
Last Updated on November 10, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD