Authors (including presenting author) :
Cheung PC(1), Lau KY(1), Mui LY(1), Ng SW(1) + Chu SF & Cheung KL
Affiliation :
(1) Urology, Department of Surgery + Chu SF, Cheung KL
Introduction :
Delirium is a common neurobehavioral complication in hospitalized patients (Ludolph, et. al, 2020). Postoperative delirium (POD) refers to delirium in patients after completion of a surgical procedure and is defined as an acute mental disorder, characterized by disturbances in awareness, attention, and cognition. POD can occur from 10 minutes after anesthesia to up to 7 days in the hospital or until discharge (Janjua et al., 2023). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the incidence of POD in non-cardiac surgery is anywhere between 15% and 54%. The incidence of postoperative delirium increased in patients undergone surgery which lengthen hospitalisation stay with higher morbidity and mortality rates (Horacek et al., 2016). Among multiple non-pharmacological interventions to prevent delirium, Bright Light Therapy (BLT) has a significant preventive effect on delirium (Potharajaroen et al., 2017b). However, there were limited articles that examined the effect of BLT in postoperative patients, especially none in Hong Kong.
Objectives :
To examine the effects of Bright Light Therapy on the incident of delirium in postoperative patients who undergo major surgery in Hong Kong surgical wards.
Methodology :
Literature review was conducted among databases including CINAHL, PubMed and Medline, using keywords “postoperative delirium” or “prevention of delirium” and “bright light therapy” or “light therapy” or “phototherapy”.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 5 literature reviews were identified regarding the use of BLT for preventing postoperative delirium. All literature was conducted in ICU or surgical units in Asia. Studies were either randomized controlled study or experimental intervention study. Patients were defined into interventional groups and control groups. BTL (from 2500Ix to 5000Ix) were used for 2 hours in the morning for several conservative days. All studies showed that the incidence of postoperative delirium for the control group and bright light group has a significant difference.
