Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) on early postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing liver cancer surgery. Methods Sixty ASA II and III elderly patients scheduled for liver cancer resection were randomly divided into 2 groups (30 in each group): a control group (group C) and a RIPC group (group R). The same anesthesia was applied in the two groups. After anesthesia induction the group R received limb RICP. The serum levels of 8-iso-PGF2α, IL-6, TNF-α and S100β protein were measured and Da-jvO2, CjvO2 and CERO2 were calculated before operation and at the end of operation respectively. The incidences of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) were recorded within 7 days after operation. Results In both groups, the serum levels of 8-iso-PGF2α, IL-6, TNF-α, S100β protein, Da-jvO2 and CERO2 significantly increased at the end of operation compared with those before operation (P < 0.05). At the end of operation, the serum levels of 8-iso-PGF2α, IL-6, TNF-α, S100β protein, Da-jvO2 and CERO2 in the group R were significantly lower than those in the group C (P < 0.05). The incidence of POCD in the group R was lower than that of the group C within 7 days after operation (P < 0.05). Conclusions RIPC can decrease the incidence of early POCD in the elderly patients undergoing liver cancer resection, the mechanism may be reduction of oxidative stress response, inhibition of inflammatory response to the patients and improvement of the cerebral oxygen metabolism during operation.