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Patient Wakes Up During Surgery, Feels Surgeons Moving
20 Apr
Summary
- A woman woke during surgery and felt her abdomen being touched.
- Anaesthesia awareness is a rare but frightening experience.
- New research may help prevent patients waking during surgery.
A woman identified as Barbara Tite experienced a horrifying ordeal when she woke up during surgery for a perforated bowel. Despite being under general anaesthesia, she became partially conscious and could feel the surgeons' hands inside her abdomen. She described the experience as being 'buried alive' and was unable to move or call out.
This event highlights the rare but terrifying possibility of anaesthesia awareness. Experts explain that inadequate anaesthetic doses, influenced by factors like age and weight, can lead to this. Anaesthetists typically monitor vital signs to prevent such incidents.
While such events are rare, occurring in about one in 19,000 general anaesthetics, new research is exploring ways to detect consciousness markers. Neuroscientists are investigating brain signals that could help fine-tune anaesthesia doses and minimize the risk of awareness during procedures.
Barbara Tite expressed lingering trauma and anger following the incident. She received an apology from one of the anaesthetists involved. While she chose not to file a formal complaint, she advocates for greater awareness among medical professionals and patients about anaesthesia awareness.
