Clinical Research Directory

Cognitive Assessment And Post-Operative Complications After Surgery: Linking Anaesthesia And Risk

Many older people can experience confusion, memory problems, or a decline in their thinking after major surgery. These problems are sometimes called 'postoperative neurocognitive disorders' or PND and can affect recovery and a person's ability to live independently. The investigators want to find out the best way to study these problems in older patients undergoing surgery. This is a 'feasibility study', which means we are testing the research methods. The investigators want to see if it is possible to ask participants to do memory tests and give blood samples before and after their operation. The investigators are hoping to include around 40 patients over 2 years in this study. The investigators will compare performance in memory (cognitive assessment) findings before and after surgery and link this to data taken from the anaesthetic, including the types of drugs used, duration, brain features from processed electroencephalogram monitoring and standard recommended monitoring. In addition the investigators will link this to blood sample markers of brain health and function (biomarkers). The results of this study will help the investigators plan a much larger study in the future, with the ultimate goal of making surgery safer for the brain.

pEEG-Guided Anesthesia and Behavioral Outcomes in Children

Post-hospitalization behavioral changes are common in children after surgery and general anesthesia and may persist for varying durations depending on individual and perioperative factors. The Post-Hospitalization Behavior Questionnaire (PHBQ) is a well-validated instrument widely used to evaluate negative postoperative behavioral changes in pediatric patients following hospitalization or surgical procedures. Although early postoperative behavioral disturbances have been extensively studied, most research has focused on short-term outcomes within the first weeks after surgery, while long-term behavioral outcomes remain insufficiently investigated. Processed electroencephalography (pEEG) monitoring provides an objective method for assessing anesthetic depth during surgery. Parameters such as the Patient State Index (PSI) and Spectral Edge Frequency 95 (SEF95) allow dynamic evaluation of cortical activity and may help optimize anesthetic administration by preventing excessively deep or inadequate anesthesia. Improved anesthetic depth management may theoretically influence postoperative recovery and behavioral outcomes. In the initial randomized study, early postoperative behavioral assessments were obtained within the first postoperative month using the Post-Hospitalization Behavior Questionnaire (PHBQ). In the present follow-up study, children will be contacted again 12-24 months after surgery to evaluate long-term behavioral outcomes. PHBQ scores at long-term follow-up will be compared between children who previously received EEG-guided anesthesia and those managed with standard anesthesia without processed EEG monitoring. By examining both early and long-term behavioral outcomes, this study aims to determine whether intraoperative EEG-guided anesthesia management influences postoperative behavioral changes in the pediatric population.

qCON/qNOX-Guided Anesthesia in Patients Undergoing Thyroidectomy Surgery

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of using the non-invasive Conox monitor on intraoperative opioid consumption. Additionally, the study aims to assess the impact of Conox monitoring on recovery time, postoperative agitation rate, and pain scores, and to investigate the correlation between qCON and qNOX values and conventional hemodynamic parameters.

Macrophage/Monocyte Driven Inflammation and Anesthetic Sensitivity in Aging

The goal of this observational study is to determine whether macrophage/monocyte mediated inflammatory signaling contributes to reduced anesthetic requirements in older adults undergoing major abdominal surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is there a difference in anesthetic dosing requirements (minimum effective dose) between young and older patients undergoing major abdominal surgery? * How do electroencephalographic (EEG) signatures under anesthesia correlate with age and systemic inflammatory markers? * Is there an association between age, levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines, and monocyte/macrophage phenotypes with anesthetic requirements? If there is a comparison group: Researchers will compare older adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery to younger adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery to see if macrophage/monocyte-mediated inflammatory signaling influences anesthetic sensitivity and the risk of postoperative neurocognitive complications in the older population. Participants will: * Receive general anesthesia for major abdominal surgery, with continuous recording of anesthetic dose requirements. * Undergo electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring during the anesthetic period. * Provide blood samples for the measurement of circulating inflammatory cytokines and the assessment of monocyte phenotypes. * Provide peritoneal tissue samples (collected during surgery) to evaluate tissue macrophage populations. * Provide cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples to assess biomarkers of blood-brain barrier permeability.

Monitoring the Depth of Anesthesia and Nociception During the Induction of General Anesthesia in Pediatric Patients

Perioperative assessment of adequate depth of anesthesia and analgesia is currently a recommended part of routine anesthesia practice for all surgical procedures. In most cases, it is performed by monitoring and evaluating physiological parameters, which is insufficient, especially for the depth of anesthesia. The depth of anesthesia, when measured with the Conox device, is indicated by the qCON index, the recommended value for anesthesia management is between 40-60. Shallow (above 60) anesthesia may be associated with an increased incidence of perioperative wakefulness episodes, and deeper (below 40) anesthesia may lead to a more frequent occurrence of adverse effects of anesthesia, including emergent delirium in the postoperative period. In addition to assessing the depth of anesthesia, the Conox device also allows for instrumental assessment of analgesia. Inadequate analgesia increases postoperative discomfort and may contribute to an increased incidence of complications in anesthesia and during the postoperative period. Instrumental monitoring of the depth of anesthesia and analgesia increases the safety of anesthesia care. During perioperative care, periods with significant painful stimulation include not only the surgical procedure itself but also airway management during induction of general anesthesia, especially intubation. The hypothesis is - due to the significant painful stimulation during airway management during induction of anesthesia, adequate depth of anesthesia and analgesia may be insufficient and is associated with the patient's clinical response, which may be associated with the occurrence of postoperative delirium.

Comparison of the Factors Affecting PSI and BIS Values in Monitoring Anesthetic Depth During Open-Heart Surgery

Measurement of anesthetic depth has long been a subject of investigation, aiming to titrate anesthetic agents appropriately and to prevent intraoperative awareness and consciousness. Many patients undergoing surgery experience fear and anxiety regarding the possibility of remaining conscious, perceiving pain, and being unable to move during anesthesia. Intraoperative awareness-defined as consciousness during anesthesia with explicit recall afterward-is a distressing condition that can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. However, aiming for excessively deep anesthesia to avoid the possibility of awareness during surgery is not recommended, as it may result in hemodynamic instability due to the effects of anesthetic agents and may impair postoperative cognitive functions, particularly in the elderly population. Common methods used in monitoring anesthetic depth include observing sweating, lacrimation, pupillary dilation, heart rate variability, and blood pressure. However, some of these are subjective and may not always be reliable indicators. Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based monitors such as the Bispectral Index (BIS) and the Patient State Index (PSI) offer more reliable and objective means of monitoring anesthetic depth. These monitors provide numerical values between 0 (indicating unconsciousness) and 100 (indicating full alertness) based on proprietary algorithms, offering valuable insight into the patient's anesthetic state. "Our aim is to examine BIS and PSI values and to investigate the factors that influence these parameters."

Target-Controlled Infusion (TCI) Effectiveness in Hysteroscopy

This prospective, randomized, observational study aims to evaluate the perioperative anesthetic efficacy of different Target-Controlled Infusion (TCI) models-specifically Minto, Schnider, and Eleveld pharmacokinetic models-in patients undergoing hysteroscopy under general anesthesia. 90 female patients will be randomized into two groups, each receiving different TCI model combinations for propofol and remifentanil. Primary outcomes include intraoperative consciousness (BIS/SEF), analgesia (ANI), tissue oxygenation (NIRS), and recovery parameters. The study seeks to identify model-specific benefits regarding patient and surgeon satisfaction, recovery time, and complication rates.