Late Cognitive Impairment After Coronary Bypass Graft Surgery: Opportunities in Rehabilitation with the Use of Computer-Based Training

Abstract

Abstract In spite of recent significant advances in reduction of mortality and disability, coronary heart disease (CHD) remains widespread both in Russia and around the world. Coronary bypass graft surgery (CABG) has proved to be the most effective method of CHD treatment, providing that conservative therapy is not effective enough. The aim of the present study was to reveal and correct postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), developed under the conditions of cardiopulmonary bypass (CB) in patients with CHD within 12 months after CABG. A total of 87 patients were examined, all the patients underwent a course of drug therapy, 50 patients underwent a course of rehabilitation using computer-based stimulation programmes (once per day for 20 minutes within 10 days) in addition to medical therapy. A reliable improvement in results of the conducted research suggests that the proposed method provides safety and high performance in cognitive rehabilitation of patients with impairments of the higher brain functions after CABG. A relatively short course of rehabilitation (10 days) corresponded to the length of hospital stay of patients in the cardiac unit. However, even in such a short course we could obtain significant advantage in terms of efficiency of higher cortical functions recovery. Therefore, a course of rehabilitation using computer-based stimulation programmes in patients with coronary heart disease after CABG was proved to be an effective way of correcting cognitive function.