You begin to hear distant rock music playing, people conversing about their weekend. Then the scalpel is requested-incision. Pain sends you reeling and you attempt to muster a scream. No one seems to hear you and you are unable to lift a finger. The scenario is so rare that numerous movies have been made about awareness under anesthesia. Awareness under anesthesia is a rare event, however, it is a complication that no one ever desires to occur. We will explore how frequent awareness is during surgery, what risk factors are involved, and what tools anesthesia providers utilize to ensure everyone undergoing surgery is adequately anesthetized.
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