Geriatrics and Colorectal Surgery: Interventions to Improve Cognitive Outcomes and Goal-Concordant Care

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

11:10 AM - 11:55 AM ET

Co-Moderator(s)

Julia R. Berian, MD, MS (she/her/hers)

Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin
University of Wiscosin - Madison
Madison, WI, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
JW

Joshua Wolf, MD FACS FASCRS

Division Chief, Colorectal Surgery
LifeBridge Health
Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.

CME .75 hours
Self-Assessment .75 hours

Session Goal: To review the literature for evidence-based practices to preserve cognition, decrease delirium, and provide goal-concordant surgical care.

Cognition and perioperative neurocognitive disorders can seem like a black box. Many surgeons do not know what to do about postoperative delirium, nor do we always see the long-lasting consequences of an episode. Postoperative delirium is a common complication, affecting roughly 10-15% of patients having elective surgery and 30% or more for those requiring urgent or emergency care. This session will review the evolving literature on emerging interventions and intraoperative considerations to preserve cognition, drill down into the details of postoperative delirium, and discuss specific approaches to ensure we provide goal-concordant care for complex patients.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

Review current literature and pro / con evidence around anesthetic and perioperative interventions to preserve cognitive function after an operation.
Evaluate for lasting effects vs the time-limited nature of delirium episodes and describe recent automated approaches to delirium measurement.
Provide tips to approach difficult conversations and elicit patient values and treatment goals in an efficient, streamlined manner.