Cognitive impairment measured by event-related potentials during early and late postoperative period following intravenous or inhalation anaesthesia

Postoperative cognitive impairment, known as POCD (postoperative cognitive dysfunction), is not a diagnosis, but rather a clinical phenomenon. Development of POCD has not yet been clearly and unequivocally elucidated due to a lack of formal criteria for assessment and diagnosis. Some clinicians have challenged the importance of POCD because cognitive impairment seems to be transient, and long-term effects are unknown. It is likely that the cause of POCD is multifactorial and may include the preoperative health status of patients, perioperative events related to the surgery itself, and possible neurotoxic effects of anaesthetic agents (Machado et al.

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