Assessment of postoperative cognitive dysfunction: Results from a survey of Turkish anaesthesiologists

Objective: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is one of the most common complications in elderly surgical patients. We conducted a survey study to evaluate the perspectives of Turkish anaesthesiologists on postoperative cognitive disorders. Methods: We conducted a prospective online survey with questions and answers were recorded either in a Likert scale from 1 to 5 (completely disagree to completely agree) or as yes/no/do not know types of answers. Potential participants were contacted through an e-mail that included a brief introductory note, instructions, a link to the survey and the authors’ contact information. Results: We analysed 129 surveys (9.9% of total potential respondents). The majority believed that the risk of cognitive side effects should be considered when choosing the type of anaesthesia (87.6%) and that preoperative cognitive function should be routinely assessed (74.4%). When caring for an agitated and confused patient postoperatively, 56.6%, protocols to screen and manage postoperative cognitive disorders were rarely used. Nearly all respondents believe that postoperative delirium and POCD are neglected areas in anaesthesiology. Conclusion: Overall, participants perceive postoperative cognitive disorders as important adverse outcomes following surgery and anaesthesia. They are aware of the main risk factors for their development but may lack information on the prevention and management postoperatively.