Objective:To investigate the risk factors for delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery in elderly patients with head and neck cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively collected clinical data from 309 elderly patients with head and neck cancer who underwent radical resection and free flap reconstruction surgery in the Department of Operation & Anesthesiology, College & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022. Among them, there were 197 males (63.8%) and 112 females (36.2%), with an average age of (66.8±5.5) years old. Based on the delirium diagnostic criteria outlined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, patients were evaluated for postoperative delirium within one week after surgery. They were then divided into a delirium group ( n=75) and a non-delirium group ( n=234). Perioperative indicators potentially related to postoperative delirium, including age, gender, past medical history, tumor characteristics, hematological tests, perioperative sleep disturbances, surgical procedures, intraoperative fluid intake and output, anesthetic dosage, postoperative pain, etc, were collected from the relevant medical record system.Variables with P<0.05 were included in a multivariate Logistic regression model to screen for independent risk factors for delirium. Results:The incidence of delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery for head and neck cancer in elderly patients was 24.3% (75/309). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that male gender ( OR=2.802, P=0.005), perioperative sleep disturbances ( OR=7.104, P<0.001), and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain ( OR=6.903, P<0.001) were risk factors for postoperative delirium. Conclusions:Male gender, perioperative sleep disturbances, and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain are independent risk factors for delirium in these patients.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery in elderly patients with head and neck cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively collected clinical data from 309 elderly patients with head and neck cancer who underwent radical resection and free flap reconstruction surgery in the Department of Operation & Anesthesiology, College & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022. Among them, there were 197 males (63.8%) and 112 females (36.2%), with an average age of (66.8±5.5) years old. Based on the delirium diagnostic criteria outlined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, patients were evaluated for postoperative delirium within one week after surgery. They were then divided into a delirium group ( n=75) and a non-delirium group ( n=234). Perioperative indicators potentially related to postoperative delirium, including age, gender, past medical history, tumor characteristics, hematological tests, perioperative sleep disturbances, surgical procedures, intraoperative fluid intake and output, anesthetic dosage, postoperative pain, etc, were collected from the relevant medical record system.Variables with P<0.05 were included in a multivariate Logistic regression model to screen for independent risk factors for delirium. Results:The incidence of delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery for head and neck cancer in elderly patients was 24.3% (75/309). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that male gender ( OR=2.802, P=0.005), perioperative sleep disturbances ( OR=7.104, P<0.001), and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain ( OR=6.903, P<0.001) were risk factors for postoperative delirium. Conclusions:Male gender, perioperative sleep disturbances, and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain are independent risk factors for delirium in these patients.

Objective To evaluate the effect of fentanyl on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) in the subcutaneous tumor of human gastric cancer in nude mice.Methods Thirty SPF male BALB/C nude mice,aged 4-5 weeks,weighing 15-20 g,in which the model of subcutaneous tumor of human gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 was established,were randomly divided into 6 groups (n =5 each) using a random number table:control group (C group),normal saline group (NS group) and fentanyl 0.05,0.10,0.20 and 0.40 mg/kg groups (F1-4 groups).The mice in group C received no treatment.Fentanyl 0.05,0.10,0.20 and 0.40 mg/kg were intraperitoneally injected once a day for 14 consecutive days in F1 4 groups,respectively,while the equal volume of normal saline 1.5 ml/kg was given instead of fentanyl in group NS.The nude mice were sacrificed on 1 day after the end of administration,and the tumor tissues were obtained for examination of the ultrastructure of subcutaneous tumor (with a transmission electron microscope) and for detection of the expression of VEGF-A and MMP-9 (by immunohistochemistry and Western blot) and expression of VEGF-A and MMP-9 mRNA (by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction).Results No abnormality in the morphology of the subcutaneous tumor cells was observed in C and NS groups.The swollen nucleus,chromatin margination,nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic bodies were found in the subcutaneous tumor cells in F1-4 groups.Compared with group C,the expression of VEGF-A and MMP-9 protein and mRNA was significantly down-regulated in F1-4 groups (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in each parameter mentioned above in group NS (P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in the expression of VEGF-A and MMP-9 protein and mRNA among F1-4 groups (P＞0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which fentanyl inhibits the growth and metastasis of subcutaneous tumor cells of human gastric cancer is related to down-regulation of VEGF-A and MMP-9 expression in nude mice.