Summary Postoperative delirium is a relatively common and serious complication. It increases hospital stay by 2–3 days and is associated with a 30-day mortality of 7–10%. It is most prevalent in older patients, those with existing neurocognitive disorders, and those undergoing complex or emergency procedures. Preclinical and clinical research in recent years has uncovered more about the pathophysiology of postoperative delirium and may yield more potential therapeutic options. Using the enhanced recovery pathway framework of risk stratification, risk reduction, and rescue treatment, we have reviewed the current clinical evidence on the validity of delirium prediction scores for the surgical population, the effectiveness of perioperative delirium risk reduction interventions, and management options for established delirium. Effective perioperative interventions include depth of anaesthesia monitoring, intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion, and multimodal analgesia. Choice of general anaesthetic agent may not be associated with significant difference in delirium risk. Several other factors, such as preoperative fasting, temperature control, and blood pressure management have some association with the risk of postoperative delirium; these will require further studies. Because of the limited treatment options available for established delirium, we propose that risk assessment and perioperative risk reduction may be the most effective approaches in managing postoperative delirium.

Postoperative delirium: perioperative assessment, risk reduction, and management

A moderately liberal IV fluid regimen, using a balanced crystalloid, and consideration of the use of an advanced hemodynamic monitor in a setting of an enhanced recovery pathway are recommended for major surgery.\n Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

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Perioperative Fluid Therapy for Major Surgery.

Importance It is not known if use of colloid solutions containing hydroxyethyl starch (HES) to correct for intravascular deficits in high-risk surgical patients is either effective or safe. Objective To evaluate the effect of HES 130/0.4 compared with 0.9% saline for intravascular volume expansion on mortality and postoperative complications after major abdominal surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants Multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial of 775 adult patients at increased risk of postoperative kidney injury undergoing major abdominal surgery at 20 university hospitals in France from February 2016 to July 2018; final follow-up was in October 2018. Interventions Patients were randomized to receive fluid containing either 6% HES 130/0.4 diluted in 0.9% saline (n = 389) or 0.9% saline alone (n = 386) in 250-mL boluses using an individualized hemodynamic algorithm during surgery and for up to 24 hours on the first postoperative day, defined as ending at 7:59amthe following day. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was a composite of death or major postoperative complications at 14 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included predefined postoperative complications within 14 days after surgery, durations of intensive care unit and hospital stays, and all-cause mortality at postoperative days 28 and 90. Results Among 826 patients enrolled (mean age, 68 [SD, 7] years; 91 women [12%]), 775 (94%) completed the trial. The primary outcome occurred in 139 of 389 patients (36%) in the HES group and 125 of 386 patients (32%) in the saline group (difference, 3.3% [95% CI, −3.3% to 10.0%]; relative risk, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.91-1.34];P = .33). Among 12 prespecified secondary outcomes reported, 11 showed no significant difference, but a statistically significant difference was found in median volume of study fluid administered on day 1: 1250 mL (interquartile range, 750-2000 mL) in the HES group and 1500 mL (interquartile range, 750-2150 mL) in the saline group (median difference, 250 mL [95% CI, 83-417 mL];P = .006). At 28 days after surgery, 4.1% and 2.3% of patients had died in the HES and saline groups, respectively (difference, 1.8% [95% CI, −0.7% to 4.3%]; relative risk, 1.76 [95% CI, 0.79-3.94];P = .17). Conclusions and Relevance Among patients at risk of postoperative kidney injury undergoing major abdominal surgery, use of HES for volume replacement therapy compared with 0.9% saline resulted in no significant difference in a composite outcome of death or major postoperative complications within 14 days after surgery. These findings do not support the use of HES for volume replacement therapy in such patients. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02502773

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Effect of Hydroxyethyl Starch vs Saline for Volume Replacement Therapy on Death or Postoperative Complications Among High-Risk Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery: The FLASH Randomized Clinical Trial

Editor’s PerspectiveWhat We Already Know about This TopicRecommendations for anesthetic care are often difficult to implement in the intraoperative setting because of the requirement for continuous attentionWhat This Article Tells Us That Is NewClosed-loop, automated management of anesthetic, analge

Anesthetic Management Using Multiple Closed-loop Systems and Delayed Neurocognitive Recovery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Editor’s PerspectiveWhat We Already Know about This TopicCrystalloid solutions leave the circulation quickly, whereas colloids remain for hours, thus promoting hemodynamic stability. However, colloids are expensive and promote renal toxicity in critical care patients. Whether goal-directed intraoper

https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/177171/1/document%281%29.pdf

Effect of Intraoperative Goal-directed Balanced Crystalloid versus Colloid Administration on Major Postoperative Morbidity: A Randomized Trial.

Background:The type of fluid and volume regimen given intraoperatively both can impact patient outcome after major surgery. This two-arm, parallel, randomized controlled, double-blind, bi-center superiority study tested the hypothesis that when using closed-loop assisted goal-directed fluid therapy,

Crystalloid versus Colloid for Intraoperative Goal-directed Fluid Therapy Using a Closed-loop System: A Randomized, Double-blinded, Controlled Trial in Major Abdominal Surgery.

Ida Stany

Papers

Crystalloid versus Colloid for Intraoperative Goal-directed Fluid Therapy Using a Closed-loop System: A Randomized, Double-blinded, Controlled Trial in Major Abdominal Surgery.