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Cognitive dysfunction can occur after major surgery, but the incidence and duration of this complication are unclear. In a study from the University of Florida, researchers administered neuropsychological tests to 1064 nondemented adults just before they underwent major noncardiac surgery, at hospital discharge, and at 3 months postsurgery. All patients received general anesthesia. At corresponding times, 210 age-matched nonhospitalized controls underwent the same tests.
At hospital discharge, the incidence of cognitive dysfunction was 37%, 30%, and 41% in young (age range, 18–39), middle-age (age, 40–59), and older (age, ≥60) groups, respectively. At 3 months, the incidence of cognitive dysfunction was 6%, 6%, and 13% in the three age group…