Brain drain after joint surgery not from clots

NEW YORK, Mar 10 (Reuters) The development of tiny fat clots in the brain during joint replacement surgery is not clearly associated with the decline in mental function that may follow, according to a study.

Given the fact that cognitive decline is well known to occur after joint replacement procedures, ''we were quite surprised'' to not find any ties between fat clots and cognitive outcome,'' Dr Sebastian Koch from University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Florida told Reuters Health.

Koch and associates examined 24 patients age 65 years and older following hip or knee replacement. All 24 patients developed clots during surgery.

Three-quarters of the patients had cognitive decline at discharge, the results indicate, and 10 of 22 patients continued to have cognitive decline at 3 months.

There were no significant differences in tiny clots or ''microemboli'' between patients with and without cognitive deficits at any time studied, the researchers note.

''A question remaining is if we captured all the emboli possible,'' Koch said, noting that patients were monitored only during surgery. Some patients may develop clots once surgery is completed. ''This is something that may be worth looking into further,'' Koch said.

Clearly more study is needed, Koch said, adding: ''It may be too premature to discard microemboli as the etiology of cognitive dysfunction seen after orthopedic surgery.'' REUTERS AD BST1007