Rapid bedside assessment of postoperative confusion in older patients.

As the number of elderly patients undergoing surgery increases, postoperative confusion becomes an increasingly encountered problem. Postoperative confusion has long been recognized as a specific entity, but the etiology and risk factors have not been well defined. To make the diagnosis promptly, the physician must maintain a high index of suspicion. This review provides a series of brief mental status tests that can be administered quickly at the bedside and outlines a specific approach to treatment.