Research Synopsis
Complications that are associated with central nervous system (CNS) injury in patients undergoing major surgical procedures reduce the quality of life after otherwise successful surgery. Understanding the mechanisms of CNS injury, and planning the preventive and optimal treatment strategies are the major goals of Dr. Djaiani's program. Under his leadership at the Toronto General Hospital, a multidisciplinary group of investigators has focused on reducing neurological and neurocognitive injury after cardiac and major non-cardiac surgery. As a team, they have been very successful in securing funding, conducting research, presenting at national and international meetings, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. Currently, they are leading two other peer review funded multicenter trials in cardiac and non-cardiac surgery investigating different aspects of postoperative delirium and development of dementia/Alzheimer’s disease. The results of these trials will likely have a major impact on our understanding of short and long term neurological and neurocognitive sequelae and may substantially change clinical practice globally.