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Perioperative management of delirium and dementia in the geriatric surgical patient

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Abstract

Background

Older adults undergo operations as our population ages. Increasing life expectancy and disease burden, along with decreased functional status and organ reserve, place the elderly surgical patient at higher general risk in the perioperative state. In particular, these patients have more diseases including dementia and medications that put them specifically at higher risk of delirium.

Purpose

This overview describes the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of delirium and its interface with depression and dementia, and explains aging changes based on the picture of perioperative management in surgical interventions.

Conclusions

Today, surgeons must be equipped to attend the geriatric patient's needs. Early recognition of comorbidities such as dementia and delirium as well as speedy and competent therapeutic treatment can limit consequences and impact.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geriatric Services, Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA

    Irene Hamrick

  2. Department of General, Abdominal and Vascular Surgery, Magdeburg University Hospital, Leipziger Strasse 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany

    Frank Meyer

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  1. Irene Hamrick
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  2. Frank Meyer
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Correspondence to Frank Meyer.

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Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H. Lippert, Head of the Department of General, Abdominal and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital at Magdeburg, Germany

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Hamrick, I., Meyer, F. Perioperative management of delirium and dementia in the geriatric surgical patient. Langenbecks Arch Surg 398, 947–955 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-013-1102-5

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