The impact of ketamine on delayed neurocognitive recovery in elderly patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia for orthopaedic procedures, a pilot study.

Objective: Delayed neurocognitive recovery is an objectively measurable decline in the cognitive status at varying intervals after surgery under both general and spinal anaesthesia. In this study, we used the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire to evaluate the protective effect of ketamine infusion on cognitive function of elderly patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia for orthopaedic procedures.

Methods: A randomised, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.