Perioperative Psychiatry

Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive review of mental health topics for pre- and postsurgical patients. The book discusses general aspects of psychiatric care during the immediate pre- and postsurgical phase, such as pain management, psychopharmacological management or legal aspects of informed consent. The volume dedicates one section to specific subspecialties, including cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, organ transplantation, plastic surgery, bariatric surgery, and many others. Each of these chapters address preoperative psychiatric risk factors, evaluations, impact, and management recommendations for prevention and treatment of the most common psychiatric complications. The final section reviews the current dilemmas and questions for future research in this field, including delirium and capacity evaluation. The text concludes with commentary written by experts in the fields of consultation-liaison psychiatry and surgery on future directions and considerations. Perioperative Psychiatry is a valuable resource for psychiatrists, psychologists, surgeons, trainees, nurses, social workers, and all medical professionals concerned with the behavioral health of surgical patients.