REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF POSTOPERATIVE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION IN WOMEN UNDERGOING CESAREAN SECTION DURING SPINAL ANESTHESIA AND DRUG SEDATION WITH DESMEDETOMIDINE

The issue of cognitive dysfunction following surgical procedures and anesthesia is a focal point of current anesthesiology discourse. The occurrence of cognitive deficits post-surgery represents a widespread and unwelcome outcome, sparking a surge in scholarly research on the topic. The syndrome of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) encompasses the deterioration of advanced mental functions arising post-surgery, attributed to both the surgical intervention and the anesthesia, as defined by L.S. Rasmussen. This condition emerges early in the postoperative phase and may linger, characterized by diminished memory, challenges in attention focus, and disruption of other superior cortical functions like thought and speech, as evidenced by neuropsychological assessments. Furthermore, the direct toxic impact of anesthetic agents on cognitive abilities has been highlighted in several studies.