Section 15: The Effects of Anesthesia and Surgery

15.2 Outpatient Surgery

Changes in cognitive functioning after surgery occur in patients of all ages. The majority of studies summarized in Table 38 involve older individuals. However, cognitive deficits have been noted in younger populations as well (Smith, Roberts, Rodgers, and Bennett, 1986). Although there is an absence of literature on the effects of surgery on driving performance, the broad spectrum of cognitive deficits recorded suggests that driving performance is likely to be impaired in the immediate post-operative period. In addition, for patients undergoing outpatient surgery, the administration of narcotics in the immediate post-operative period is likely to result in greater impairments in performance.

15.3 Major Surgery

See sections 15.1 and 15.2.

Table 39  Guidelines for Anesthesia and Surgery

(Reproduced with permission)