So far , the evidence available from the studies included is insufficient to prove that neuraxial anesthesia is more effective and safer than general anesthesia for orthopedic surgery .
However , this systematic review does not rule out clinical ly important differences with regard to mortality , stroke , myocardial infa rct ion , length of hospitalization , postoperative cognitive dysfunction or pneumonia
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Taking the outcome of mortality into consideration , there is controversy about the beneficial effects of neuraxial anesthesia for orthopedic surgery .
The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of neuraxial anesthesia versus general anesthesia for  orthopedic surgery .
Long-term cognitive and social sequelae of general versus regional anesthesia during arthroplasty in the elderly.
This study compared the effects of general and regional anesthesia on cognitive and psychosocial functioning in elderly persons . Sixty-four patients between 60 and 86 yr of age undergoing knee arthroplasty were r and omly assigned to receive either general or regional anesthesia . A battery of psychometric tests , including the Satz-Mogel form of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised , the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised and the Sickness Impact Profile , and various neuropsychological measures were administered by a blinded observer just before surgery and again 3 months later . Analyses of covariance revealed improvements in most measures that were equivalent between groups . The results indicated that there were no cognitive or psychosocial effects of general or regional anesthesia after 3 months in elderly persons undergoing knee arthroplasty . In this patient population , general anesthesia poses no more risk to long-term mental function than regional anesthesia
So far , the evidence available from the studies included is insufficient to prove that neuraxial anesthesia is more effective and safer than general anesthesia for orthopedic surgery .
However , this systematic review does not rule out clinical ly important differences with regard to mortality , stroke , myocardial infa rct ion , length of hospitalization , postoperative cognitive dysfunction or pneumonia
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Taking the outcome of mortality into consideration , there is controversy about the beneficial effects of neuraxial anesthesia for orthopedic surgery .
The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of neuraxial anesthesia versus general anesthesia for  orthopedic surgery .