Incidence of postoperative delirium following myocardial revascularization

ABSTRACT

Previous reports assessing the incidence of postcardiotomy delirium have examined cognitive function in piatients who underwent various types of cardiac surgery. The authors evaluated the incidence of postcardiotomy delirium following myocardial revascularization, specifically. Fifty-nine patients undergoing elective, first-time cardiac surgery were given a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests preoperatively and then six days postoperatively. According to DSM-III criteria, none of the 59 patients exhibited signs of delirium on day 6. While in the intensive care unit on postoperative day 1, four patients (6.8%) showed transient signs of confusion that resolved either spontaneously or after appropriate medical/surgical intervention.