Changes in memory following general or spinal anaesthesia for hip arthroplasty

Patients scheduled for hip arthroplasty were anaesthetised using either general or spinal anaesthesia. Each patient's memory was tested for both recall and recognition by using lists of 10 words each of a different category. This testing for memory extended from the pre-operative visit to one week after operation. Memory was not tested on the day of operation. There was little overall change of memory after either spinal or general anaesthesia although there was an inexplicable but significant decrease in the ability to recognize words after spinal anaesthesia.