Confusion in the elderly: a differential diagnosis

Authors

Hasan Khan, Beaumont Health Resident
Neeraj Maheshwari, Beaumont Health Resident
Roy G. Soto, Beaumont Health

Document Type

Conference Proceeding - Restricted Access

Publication Date

10-21-2019

Abstract

A 94yo woman underwent surgical repair for bilateral femur fractures. Post-operatively the patient’s mentation fluctuated, she desaturated, and she had anisocoria. Given these acute changes the patient’s son agreed to intubation despite the patient’s DNR/DNI status. Medical workup including head CT revealed no etiology for her mentation changes. She was extubated the next day. Stroke, delirium, infection, dementia, and hypercapnia are some of the common etiologies of confusion in the elderly. This case explores the challenging workup of acute mentation changes in a post-operative geriatric patient in the setting of dementia, hearing loss, and anisocoria.

Comments

American Society of Anesthesiology, Anesthesiology 2019. Orlando, FL. October 19-23, 2019. Abstract.

Recommended Citation

Khan H, Maheshwari N, Soto RG. Confusion in the elderly: a differential diagnosis. Abstract presented at: Anesthesiology 2019. American Society of Anesthesiology, Orlando, FL; 2019 October 19-23.