Major surgery is linked to a small, long-term additional decline in brain function equivalent to about five months of ageing on average, a study shows. 

Undergoing a major operation doubles the risk for substantial cognitive decline to 5.5% compared with 2.5% for people with no medical or surgical admissions, the researchers found.

To put this in context, they noted that the risk associated with admission for a medical condition was associated with 1.4 years of ageing and stroke with 13 years of ageing.

“During informed consent, this information should be weighed against the potential health benefits of surgery,” said the authors, from the US, UK and France.