The impact of melatonin on postoperative delirium in geriatric patients after colorectal surgery: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background: The current study was designed to evaluate the role of prophylactic melatonin administration in reducing delirium occurrence in elderly patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgeries.

Methods: One hundred patients of both genders undergoing elective colorectal cancer surgeries under general anesthesia were randomly allocated into two equal groups. A treatment group of patients (Melatonin group) received five mg of melatonin the night before surgery, twelve hours before the scheduled surgery time, and an additional five mg of melatonin two hours before surgery.