Electroencephalographic changes during the postoperative period

Abstract

Systematic recordings of the EEG during the post-operative period have been rarely reported but Krumpl indicates that changes in the EEG are very common after general surgery and Bagchi et a12 report similar findings following splanchnicectomy. The investigation described in this communication was started after a woman aged 73 failed to regain consciousness following an operation on a fracture under general anaesthesia and was subsequently found to have an infarction extending over a large area of the right cerebral hemisphere.The object of the study was to investigate the occurrence of cerebral disorders in elderly patients following gynaecological surgery. The EEG was, therefore, recorded before and after surgery in a group of elderly patients all of whom were over 64 years of age. These results were later compared with those in similar studies in a group of young and middle aged women who were under 45 years of age. MATERIAL A N D METHODThe investigation was performed over a period of eight months on patients who were undergoing routine gynaecological procedures. Acute cases were not included but the patients were otherwise unselected.Group A This group consisted of the 22 elderly patients ranging in age from 64 to 84 (mean 72). Group BThere were 18 younger patients in this group. Their ages ranged from 23 to 45 years (mean 38).The routine of admission was not changed during the period of the investigation. The gynaecologists undertook the routine assessment and investigation of the patients and routine laboratory tests were performed by laboratory assistants.