Reasons for Requesting Preoperative and/or Postoperative Neurology Consultation in Open Heart Surgery Patients
Aim: To determine the reasons and frequency of preoperative and/or postoperative neurology consultation in open heart surgery patients.
Methods: Between 2015 and 2020, 3145 patients who underwent open heart surgery were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 294 patients who underwent preoperative and/or postoperative neurology consultation were included in the study. Results: The total number of neurology consultations was 294 (9.3%). The number of preoperative consultations was 168 (57.1%) and the number of postoperative consultations was 126 (42.8%). The number of patients who underwent both preoperative and postoperative consultation was 15 (5.1%). Reasons and numbers of preoperative neurology consultation requests: Previous stroke 64.2%, epilepsy 11.9%, tremor/ parkinsonian 7.1%, vertigo 4.1%, headache 2.9%, dementia 2.9%, peripheral facial paralysis 1.7%, etiology
of syncope 1.7%, TIA 1.7%, and neuropathy 1.1%. Reasons and numbers of postoperative consultation requests: Acute stroke 42.8%, consciousness disorder etiology 30.1%, delirium 10.3%, probable stroke (not investigated) 10.3%, post-operative seizures 3.9%, TIA 1.5% and acute subarachnoid hemorrhage 0.7%. Preoperative consultation request time distribution: 1 day before the operation 48.2%, 2 days before 28.5%, 3 days before 14.2%, 5-7 days before 8,9% was found. Postoperative consultation request time: on the same day of surgery 10.3%, on the first day 19%, and on the second day 26.1%. In the other days, the distribution
was between 6.3%-11.9%
Conclusion: The most common reason for neurology consultation preoperatively was previous stroke, while the most common reason postoperatively was acute stroke. The majority of patients who were consulted preoperatively and required reconsultation postoperatively had acute stroke