Really sorry to hear about your experience. I'm trying to imagine how this could have happened. I want to state up front that I'm not trying to cast doubt on your story, if you remembered specific conversations that occured and that was confirmed by the nurses and the surgeon then there is little doubt that you were conscious.
You stated below that you remember absolutely everything from the procedure, including induction and intubation, which must have been horrific. Typically multiple medications are given during these procedures aside from paralytics, including narcotics, propofol and/or anesthetic gases. Depending on his choice of anesthetics, there would have to be several mistakes made in order for you to be fully aware. Did you feel fully conscious or drifting in and out? It's possible that the meds given had lost their potency for some reason (storage issues?) but unlikely that all of the meds failed. It's almost impossible to believe that he would have just pushed a paralytic with nothing else (he'd have several syringes in his hand when he was getting the case started and would surely notice that you gave only one out of the 3-4 meds)
This type of event is the reason that alot of anesthesia providers have begun using BIS monitors or other EEG devices to measure consciousness. It gives another monitor for the effectiveness of the anesthetic, but also gives evidence that the patient was unconscious in case you have someone that is falsely claiming intraop awareness.
I really wish you the best of luck in overcoming your PTSD, it must be especially difficult with your frequent procedures.
gaspasser8115 karma
Really sorry to hear about your experience. I'm trying to imagine how this could have happened. I want to state up front that I'm not trying to cast doubt on your story, if you remembered specific conversations that occured and that was confirmed by the nurses and the surgeon then there is little doubt that you were conscious.
You stated below that you remember absolutely everything from the procedure, including induction and intubation, which must have been horrific. Typically multiple medications are given during these procedures aside from paralytics, including narcotics, propofol and/or anesthetic gases. Depending on his choice of anesthetics, there would have to be several mistakes made in order for you to be fully aware. Did you feel fully conscious or drifting in and out? It's possible that the meds given had lost their potency for some reason (storage issues?) but unlikely that all of the meds failed. It's almost impossible to believe that he would have just pushed a paralytic with nothing else (he'd have several syringes in his hand when he was getting the case started and would surely notice that you gave only one out of the 3-4 meds)
This type of event is the reason that alot of anesthesia providers have begun using BIS monitors or other EEG devices to measure consciousness. It gives another monitor for the effectiveness of the anesthetic, but also gives evidence that the patient was unconscious in case you have someone that is falsely claiming intraop awareness. I really wish you the best of luck in overcoming your PTSD, it must be especially difficult with your frequent procedures.
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