PATIENT EDUCATION
Printer FriendlyAWARENESS UNDER ANESTHESIA
Awareness under general anesthesia is a rare condition
that occurs when surgical patients can recall their surroundings or an event
- sometimes even pain - related to their surgery while they were under
general anesthesia.
When using other kinds of anesthesia, such as local, sedation or regional
anesthesia, it is expected that patients will have some recollection of the
procedure.
Studies are not conclusive on the frequency of awareness under general
anesthesia, but even one case is important to anesthesia professionals
(anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists), who
recognize that this can be a distressing or traumatic experience for the
patient.
When awareness during general anesthesia does occur, it is usually just
prior to the anesthetic completely taking effect or as the patient is
emerging from anesthesia. In very few instances, it may occur during the
surgery itself.
Despite the rarity of awareness, members of the American Society of
Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
(AANA) want you to know about this possibility. These organizations have
been studying this issue and are in the process of evaluating the
effectiveness of various technologies and techniques to decrease the
likelihood of this occurring.
For more information, a resource on
Awareness Under Anesthesia is available from the American Society of
Anesthesiologists.
Information adapted from the
American Society of Anesthesiologists.