Postoperative delirium (POD) is one of the common complications of central nervous system after operation. Severe POD can even develop into dementia, which seriously reduces the quality of life. Neuroinflammation and sleep disorder play important roles in the pathogenesis of POD. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a commonly used anesthetic in clinic, which is often used in the sedation of ICU patients and clinical anesthesia. DEX can reduce perioperative inflammatory response, improve patient's sleep, and reduce the incidence of POD. In this paper, the effects of DEX on neuroinflammation and sleep are discussed in order to provide evidence for clinical prevention and treatment of POD.

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is one of the methods to prevent stroke in patients with atherosclerotic carotid stenosis. Under cervical plexus block, the consciousness of patients can be evaluated to determine whether shunt is needed during the clamp period of carotid artery. Traditional nerve block adopts blind technique according to anatomical landmark. Ultrasound-guided nerve block can identify accurate location of puncture site, improve anesthesia effect and minimize the potential risk of block-related complications. To provide guidance for clinical application, this article reviews the status quo of carotid endarterectomy, anesthesia methods and ultrasound-guided cervical plexus block.