Abstract
Objective: To analyze and review the main cognitive complications related to the postoperative period of elderly patients undergoing general anesthesia. Bibliographic review: The increase in life expectancy is related to the greater number of elderly people and the process of illness. Thus, they configure a public that is submitted to surgical procedures more frequently. Considering that the age group above 60 years has a higher rate of comorbidities and a greater chance of previously decreased cognitive reserve, cognitive complications such as postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction have a significant incidence in this group. These complications can be temporary, permanent and / or disabling. It was observed that vascular, orthopedic and cardiac surgeries may have a greater association with such disorders and that factors such as age, length of hospital stay, complex comorbidities, poorly controlled pain, emergency surgery and intense intraoperative blood loss, for example, are elements that contribute to the identification of the patient at risk. Final considerations: The management of elderly patients in the face of anesthetic induction should be individualized and carefully monitored, as the prevalence of conditions and functional changes related to aging are substantial.