3rd International Congress on Surgery and Anesthesia
September 02 | Virtual Event
Nicole Maria Chapman
Howard University College of Medicine USA, USA
Abstract:
Background: Cataract surgery is increasingly common among older adults, but the type of
anesthesia used, general versus local, may influence long-term cognitive outcomes. While
local anesthesia is preferred due to reduced preoperative risks, its association with postoperative
dementia remains unclear.
Objective: To examine the relationship between anesthesia type and the risk of developing
unspecified dementia in older adults undergoing cataract surgery.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network,
including 147 healthcare organizations. Patients aged ≥60 years who underwent cataract
surgery with either general or local anesthesia were selected. After 1:1 propensity score
matching, 18,845 patients were included in each cohort. The primary outcome was new-onset
unspecified dementia (ICD-10: F03) diagnosed between 90 and 3,650 days post-surgery. Risk
analysis and Kaplan- Meier survival analysis were conducted.
Results: The dementia incidence was significantly lower in the general anesthesia group
(0.4%) compared to the local anesthesia group (1.3%). The risk difference was -0.9% (95% CI:
-0.011 to -0.007, p< 0.0001), with a risk ratio of 0.301 and an odds ratio of 0.299. Kaplan-Meier
analysis confirmed a lower risk of dementia in the general anesthesia group across all time
points.
Conclusion: General anesthesia is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing
postoperative dementia compared to local anesthesia in older adults undergoing cataract
surgery. These findings warrant further investigation into anesthesia’s long-term cognitive
effects.
Biography
Nicole Chapman has completed her M.S at the age of 24 years from Georgetown University. She is currently
enrolled as a second year medical student at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington D.C. Nicole’s
areas of interest include anesthesia, cardiology and geriatrics