The syndrome known as postoperative cognitive impairment, which affects older persons, is one of the most worrisome results following surgery and anesthesia (POCD). Patients and their families frequently express extreme worry that the patient will experience long-term cognitive problems as a result of anesthesia. However, this anticipatory anxiety may exacerbate the wide range of symptoms associated with POCD and make it more difficult to comprehend the subjective nature of this postoperative complication.
The latest study, which was released in the British Journal of Anesthesia, gathered information from the article’s comments section, which was titled “The hidden long-term hazards of surgery.” To preserve chronological order and structure, the comments were assigned an alphanumeric number; nevertheless, the username, submission date, and time were kept private.
For the purposes of the current study, the comments were examined by four separate researchers. A practicing academic anesthesiologist, an academic geriatrician, a medical sociologist, and a pre-clinical medical student were among them. During the review process, each reviewer was asked to consider any biases they may have toward POCD.The lack of data on the lay perspective on POCD led the current analysis to be primarily ‘exploratory’ in nature. Moreover, the comments were analyzed by two researchers using inductive thematic analysis, following which preliminary themes were identified, reviewed, and ultimately segregated for further coding.
84 user comments in total were posted under 67 different accounts. Following thorough analysis, the researchers discovered five key themes in these remarks, including the functional impact, emotional/psychiatric impact, perception of causes, inadequate reaction by medical professionals, and the significance of information sharing.
Reduced daily cognitive load and decreased abilities following recovery from surgery are just a few of the various functional effects linked to POCD. It’s significant that a broad spectrum of cognitive dysfunctions—from minor deficiencies to severe and profound impairments on one’s capacity to carry out daily tasks—was documented.
POCD was linked to a number of extremely upsetting emotional events. These sensations were described as “battle,” “woeful,” and “diminished,” as well as “spells of intense rage” and a “weird sort of sadness.”
The commenters provided a variety of justifications for what they thought was the root of their POCD. The anesthetics used during the procedure, the psychological effects of the shock of the operation, and other unfavorable elements of the patient’s hospital stay were among these.
Several commenters also mentioned their frustrations with the way their healthcare practitioners handled their POCD symptoms. Some patients, for instance, claimed that their medical professionals disregarded their symptoms or were ignorant of the potential dangers of anesthetic use. Another commenter talked about feeling abandoned by medical professionals.
