He had a stroke on the left side, his leg and arm...hospital said his carartoid artery was 85% blocked, hence the operation, he came thru just fine, just noticed small changes in his demeanor. Anyone know more about these things?
When my mom was in her 90’s with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, her doctor said that she was not able to have any more anesthesia or surgeries of any kind.
Mom suffered with shoulder pain from a rotator cuff injury. She couldn’t get surgery for it.
My brother (73 yrs) with mild cognitive decline has been told by his Neurologist "absolutely NOT" to the idea of having surgery for a very painful shoulder problem. Neurologist said that it is 'not worth the very evident risk" that the General Anesthesia will almost certainly "further cognitive decline". Of course, there will always be exceptions to ANY rule, i.e. 95 yr. old who successfully undergoes hip replacement but suffers no cognitive impairment.
A friend of mine was married to a much older man who had dementia worse than anyone I’ve ever seen — he had surgery and almost died from the antithesis . It took him quite a few weeks to recover and he was never the same. He was in his mid 70’s . And yet my husband had surgery on his hand came out of it just fine — he’s 75. 🤷♀️.
I do not know about anesthesia's effects on dementia and alzheimer's- however I DO know about post-surgical delirium because my 95 year old mother experienced this after an emergency surgery that lasted 5 hours.
Immediately after the surgery, she was totally confused - didn't know where she was, what year it was, why she was where she was, and at some points even who even I was. This wasn't the woman who I and her neighbors interacted with just 2 days prior. Even at her age, she never showed ANY signs of mental confusion, no memory losses (except for the usual that happen as one ages), no signs of dementia or alzeheimers - something either I (who spoke with her every day and helped her at her townhome at least 2x week), and her neighbors who she interacted with every single day.
But, the doctors were quick to note on her charts that she had dementia. I told them, I informed them, that her GP and all her other specialists have not ever seen evidence of such nor is there anything in ANY of her medical charts that would indicate this. I showed them videos of her talking and interacting with me and her neighbors - nothing would convince them otherwise. They said 'dementia'. This diagnosis then followed her to rehab where they treated her differently than a regular patient.
Her post-surgical delirium was really bad for the first week and then it gradually, oh so gradually, started lessening. It took nearly 3 weeks for it to dissipate, 3 really slow and long weeks. But the scary part was that I didn't know if this condition was temporary or if it would become permanent.
I was angry, frustrated, exasperated and feeling powerless to be able to effect any change because the medical 'professionals' kept ignoring what I was saying.
My sweet husband had to have 2 operations within 3 months. When we were in for a checkup after the second surgery I told the Dr to give him back the brain cells they took out. He was totally changed. We got a neurologist and he said that the surgeries brought on the dementia 6-8 years earlier than it would have happened naturally. I wish we never had gotten the surgeries.
My brother's Neurologist told us that any surgery for him is a very bad idea. He has 'some' memory issues at present but is able to live at a 55+ independent apartment. He has a painful shoulder that should have been addressed years ago, but Neurologist most definitively said that the anesthesia would almost certainly worsen/advance the memory loss he currently has. In another situation, a friend who was functioning just fine "mentally", fell and broke a hip which naturally necessitated a surgery to set a 'pin' in the broken hip. The spouse has shared that since the surgery, her doctor has diagosed beginning stage dementia. Avoid surgeries! Sometimes they cannot be avoided (like that broken hip) but any anesthesia carries with it great risk of worsening memory disorders.
Anesthesia as well as a stay in the Hospital can worsen dementia symptoms. There may be a return to his "baseline" of pre-surgery status or there may be little or no improvement. Hope for the best, expect the worse is how I handled hospitalization with my Husband. And I hate being a "downer" on this but... I would probably not do any more further aggressive treatments at this point.
My 70ish year old cousin is suffering from dementia these days. Her doctor told her it's due to all the general anesthesia she's had with all of her various surgeries over the years. Many of them lasting for 6 or 7 hours apiece.
92! Bless him and you! His demeaner will change just with the ALZ. Just remember he will not be in this world he is in his own world. Try to keep the peace, agree with him because if not it will be an arguing match. My experience: My daddy insisted that his money be put in a safe under the house - I took a picture of a box under the house and showed it to him - told him his money was safe and no one knew about it. He also wanted his guns - I told him he couldn't have them here (facility) but they were loaded and ready for him when he got home. He was satisfied and we went on with the day. If your husband gets physical or violent you will need to talk to his doctor about that - thats what I had to do.
Any type of of medicine or IV that causes sleepiness can make dementia or Alzheimer's worse. It has a different affect on the elderly. Is the procedure a life or death situation, is it an absolute must for him to go under. Sometimes at this age you have to outweigh quality of life as opposed to treatment. How strong is your husband? How bad is the Alzheimer's?
I am not a doctor but my mom has Lewy Body Dementia and spent 30 days in a hospital;/rehab {pneumonia/sepsis}. She is 89. She has been much much worse since that stay away from her assisted living. Her doc and us have decided to avoid all future hospital stays to avoid further deterioration. We would not do surgery and we will allow nature to run its course. Her quality of life is not good even after 5 months of AL care again.
Anesthesia may cause everybody to act a little "off" until the medications clear from their bodies. Unless he had some clots break off from the occlusion, he should recover to be himself. Since he has had a stroke in the past, any longer term behavior changes are probably stroke-related. Ask his neurologist to follow-up on changed you have noticed.
At 92 anything can make his situation worse. Honestly, what difference does it make? His mental & physical condition will continue to decline, it is what happens as we age.
Don't worry yourself about this, time to roll forward and accept.
My GFs father who suffered from ALZ had this operation at about 85. It not improve his ALZ.
Anesthesia takes longer to leave the body in the elderly. My Dad had a heart valve replaced and 3 bypasses at 65. At 67, he needed the same valve replaced and mentioned to the doctor he had lost memory with the first operation. Dr said he would with the second too.
I am surprised they operated on a 92 yr old who suffers from Dementia.
The circumstances of his operation and medication may effect how quickly he gets over his affects.. his body may be slower to get back to normal. Give it time.. His doctor should be able to to talk with you regarding his recovery time.. please reach out to his doctor.. ask for palliative care evaluation… its okay.. get his health care team conversing with you… do not think that you are troubling them… that is their job
yes.. MIL was getting grandmal strokes. MIL had the same issue. Right side of her neck.. plaque built up so blood flow was constricted going to her brain.. they put a stint in. Blood flow to brain iOS important, sometimes these ole arteries get clogged.. my aunt went to ER.. the ER DOCTOR told me.. “Every time she comes here.. a little bit of her will stay behind.”
in other words , yes anesthesia will take a bit out of you.. and in older patients like my aunt, a bit will stay behind😔
I observed it in my dad, who recovered well physically from an operation for cancer at age 90. Mentally he was never the same, and it was dementia. We never noticed signs of dementia before the operation, only afterward. He didn't show any delirium. He chose to have the surgery himself.
Yes, it is almost certainly true. Carotid surgery is pretty quick for this to occur, and not a long time under anesthesia. And you may see improvement, as the truth is even the trauma of undergoing any hospitalization and surgery can worsen things temporarily (or rarely permanently). I wouldn't worry for a while, and truth is there is little to be done if this does happen.
For many years doctors denied that some of the post op worsening of dementia was due to anesthesia. Many are now coming down to understanding there may be a connection, though I believe it is so far not proven to any degree of scientific certainty.
Mom suffered with shoulder pain from a rotator cuff injury. She couldn’t get surgery for it.
I DO know about post-surgical delirium because my 95 year old mother experienced this after an emergency surgery that lasted 5 hours.
Immediately after the surgery, she was totally confused - didn't know where she was, what year it was, why she was where she was, and at some points even who even I was. This wasn't the woman who I and her neighbors interacted with just 2 days prior. Even at her age, she never showed ANY signs of mental confusion, no memory losses (except for the usual that happen as one ages), no signs of dementia or alzeheimers - something either I (who spoke with her every day and helped her at her townhome at least 2x week), and her neighbors who she interacted with every single day.
But, the doctors were quick to note on her charts that she had dementia. I told them, I informed them, that her GP and all her other specialists have not ever seen evidence of such nor is there anything in ANY of her medical charts that would indicate this. I showed them videos of her talking and interacting with me and her neighbors - nothing would convince them otherwise. They said 'dementia'. This diagnosis then followed her to rehab where they treated her differently than a regular patient.
Her post-surgical delirium was really bad for the first week and then it gradually, oh so gradually, started lessening. It took nearly 3 weeks for it to dissipate, 3 really slow and long weeks. But the scary part was that I didn't know if this condition was temporary or if it would become permanent.
I was angry, frustrated, exasperated and feeling powerless to be able to effect any change because the medical 'professionals' kept ignoring what I was saying.
????????????????p
Anesthesia is difficult for elders.
There may be a return to his "baseline" of pre-surgery status or there may be little or no improvement.
Hope for the best, expect the worse is how I handled hospitalization with my Husband.
And I hate being a "downer" on this but... I would probably not do any more further aggressive treatments at this point.
The surgery was kind of botched because her lungs weren't getting enough oxygen and she suffered the consequences.
she would last 18 months after.
My mother's cardiologist told us that the brain loses oxygen and changes the person
My experience: My daddy insisted that his money be put in a safe under the house - I took a picture of a box under the house and showed it to him - told him his money was safe and no one knew about it. He also wanted his guns - I told him he couldn't have them here (facility) but they were loaded and ready for him when he got home. He was satisfied and we went on with the day. If your husband gets physical or violent you will need to talk to his doctor about that - thats what I had to do.
How bad is the Alzheimer's?
Don't worry yourself about this, time to roll forward and accept.
Good Luck!
Anesthesia takes longer to leave the body in the elderly. My Dad had a heart valve replaced and 3 bypasses at 65. At 67, he needed the same valve replaced and mentioned to the doctor he had lost memory with the first operation. Dr said he would with the second too.
I am surprised they operated on a 92 yr old who suffers from Dementia.
his body may be slower to get back to normal. Give it time..
His doctor should be able to to talk with you regarding his recovery time..
please reach out to his doctor.. ask for palliative care evaluation…
its okay.. get his health care team conversing with you…
do not think that you are troubling them… that is their job
MIL had the same issue. Right side of her neck.. plaque built up so blood flow was constricted going to her brain.. they put a stint in.
Blood flow to brain iOS important, sometimes these ole arteries get clogged..
my aunt went to ER.. the ER DOCTOR told me..
“Every time she comes here.. a little bit of her will stay behind.”
in other words , yes anesthesia will take a bit out of you.. and in older patients like my aunt, a bit will stay behind😔
Sometimes hard choices have to be made.
For many years doctors denied that some of the post op worsening of dementia was due to anesthesia. Many are now coming down to understanding there may be a connection, though I believe it is so far not proven to any degree of scientific certainty.