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Post-operative cognitive decline (POCD) after gynaecologic surgery: current opinions and future applications

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A Correction to this article was published on 31 January 2018

This article has been updated

Abstract

Objective

Postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) is known to occur quite frequently after a cardiac surgery, especially in older population. Few studies specifically focused on its incidence and characteristics in gynecological setting.

Methods

Current opinions and future applications of POCD studies in gynecological setting have been discussed.

Result

There are still many questions and issues about POCD in gynecological setting that remain unanswered as well as numerous research fields that have not been still explored. In particular, from this article emerges the need of further studies in gynecological setting focusing on: (a) the evaluation of long-term effect of POCD (e.g. over 3 months after surgery); (b) elderly population; (c) a wide range of cognitive functions (memory, attention, concentration, orientation, etc.); (d) the evaluation of risk and protective factors for subsequent POCD development; (e) the relationships between POCD and previous psychological or neuroendocrine factors; (f) the difference on POCD outcomes between different anaesthesia and disorders.

Conclusion

Promoting studies on this topic is significant for the reduction of sociosanitary costs, mortality rates, social dependences and the likelihood of comorbidity.

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Change history

  • 31 January 2018

    The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The given names and family names of all authors were interchanged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human and Social Science, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy

    Cristina Zarbo, Michela Brivio, Agostino Brugnera & Angelo Compare

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy

    Chiara Malandrino, Gaetano Trezzi & Luigi Frigerio

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy

    Massimo Rabboni & Emi Bondi

Authors
  1. Cristina Zarbo
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  2. Michela Brivio
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  3. Agostino Brugnera
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  4. Chiara Malandrino
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  5. Gaetano Trezzi
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  6. Massimo Rabboni
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  7. Emi Bondi
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  8. Angelo Compare
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  9. Luigi Frigerio
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Contributions

ZC protocol/project development, writing/editing; BM protocol/project development, writing/editing; BA writing/editing; MC writing/editing; TG writing/editing; RM writing/editing; BE writing/editing; CA protocol/project development, writing/editing; FL protocol/project development, writing/editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cristina Zarbo.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Human and animal rights statement

This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

The original version of this article was revised: The given names and family names of all authors were interchanged.

A correction to this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-4683-y.

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Zarbo, C., Brivio, M., Brugnera, A. et al. Post-operative cognitive decline (POCD) after gynaecologic surgery: current opinions and future applications. Arch Gynecol Obstet 297, 551–554 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-017-4630-3

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