Postoperative cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) remains a serious complication with increasing importance. Cerebral dysfunction after surgery presents as stroke, delirium, or POCD. POCD is the post-operative disturbance of memory, and speed of information processing. The incidence of POCD is dependent on the type of procedure. The highest incidence of POCD occurs in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. CABG performed without CPB could reduce the incidence of postoperative neurological disturbance. However, there were no distinct differences in the incidence of POCD between off-pump and on-pump CABG. Many risk factors including aging and poor cognitive status about POCD have been reported. The recent reports suggest that low cerebral oxygenation, as evaluated by near-infrared spectroscopy, during the surgery is a good predictor of POCD. The careful monitoring of the central nervous system during cardiac surgery might predict POCD, and help in avoiding its occurrence.