Objective  To explore the effect of sevoflurane inhalation for different time on the postoperative cognitive function of elderly patients with abdominal surgery.

  Methods  Totally 80 elderly patients undergoing abdominal surgery were divided into half-course group and full-course group according to anesthesia schemes, with 40 cases in each group. In the half-course group, sevoflurane was stopped at 60 minutes after anesthesia induction, and propofol was used only to maintain anesthesia, while the full-course group adopted sevoflurane to maintain anesthesia in the whole process. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) and the Mental State Examination Scale (MMSE) were used to evaluate the cognitive functions before and 48 hours after the operation in both groups. Levels of human intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and neurospecific protein (S100-β), intraoperative value of bispectral index, postoperative recovery time and extubation time were compared between two groups.

  Results  At 48 hours after operation, the scores of MMSE and MoCA in the half-course group were significantly lower than those before operation and in the full-course group (P < 0.05). At 48 hours, the ICAM-1 and S100-β levels after operation in both groups were significantly higher than those before operation, and these indexes in the half-course group were significantly higher than those in the full-course group (P < 0.05). The postoperative recovery time in the full-course group was significantly shorter than that in the half-course group (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  For elderly patients with abdominal surgery, the full-course application of sevoflurane maintenance anesthesia during operation is more beneficial to the recovery of postoperative cognitive function, which can shorten postoperative recovery time and reduce levels of ICAM-1 and S100-β.