DALLAS: Newly published research from the Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine explains why up to half of older adults who undergo general anaesthesia develop postoperative delirium – the sudden onset of confusion, aggression or agitated behaviour that could progress to dementia. The findings indicate that older patients who are undergoing surgery may benefit from a less-potent, slower-acting anaesthetic.
Working with animal models, the research team tested two inhaled anaesthetics – Sevoflurane and Isoflurane. Sevoflurane is one of the commonly used inhaled anaesthetics for inducing general anaesthesia because it acts more quickly and has a shorter recovery time. But, the researchers found that Sevoflurane caused increased disruption of the blood-brain barrier, the cellular structure that regulates the entry and removal of various blood components in the brain. Isoflurane, however, failed to demonstrate similar levels of blood-brain barrier breach…