The effect of intravenous anesthesia on postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing painless gastroscopy: a meta-analysis

Intravenous anesthesia for painless gastroscopy appears to be associated with a lower incidence of POCD on Day 7 postoperatively, suggesting a potentially reduced risk of early postoperative cognitive decline compared to inhalation anesthesia. The findings indicate that intravenous anesthesia may be preferable in minimizing the risk of POCD, particularly in older adults undergoing painless gastroscopy. However, further high-quality, large-scale RCTs are warranted to validate these results and explore the effects across different patient demographics.