The Increased Incidence of Psychological Effects Following Events of Awareness under General Anesthesia in Adult Patients

Abstract

For all the patients undergoing a surgical procedure, each step seems to be very daunting. Provided that it is the first time to be under the table, the patients are bound to feel a variety of feelings with respect to their procedure as well as the different protocols that are followed within the span of the operating room and beyond. As anyone might know, anesthesia is a critical component of modern medicine. It is because of this component of pre-operative assessment that allows for the painless surgical procedures and improved patient comfort to be carried out easily. It is the duty of an anesthesiologist to be vigilant at all times during the anesthesia to ensure a smooth and effective procedure throughout the duration of the procedure. However, there are instances when patients experience awareness under anesthesia, which refers to regaining consciousness and sensory perception during surgery while remaining paralyzed and unable to communicate their distress. This rare but distressing phenomenon has been associated with various psychological effects that can have lasting impacts on the affected patients. Awareness under anesthesia occurs when patients regain consciousness or partial consciousness during surgery, being able to hear or feel the surgical procedure, but they are unable to move, speak, or indicate their distress to the medical team.  This review will explore the increased incidence of psychological effects following events of awareness under anesthesia in adult patients. It will view it from a descriptive perspective at how differently things are seen to be carried out when a patient gains awareness during anesthesia, and also the later ‘effects’ of these awareness events on the patient’s psychological health.