[Postanesthetic recall ability, anxiety and dreams in surgical patients. A clinical study]

The recall of stimuli registered during general anaesthesia is described. Patients were interviewed 2 days after surgery, concerning their experiences during anaesthesia. In a second series of observations, the interview was preceded by a short inquiry, which took place in the recovery room as soon as the patient awoke. Anxiety was also assessed by pre- and postoperative tests. Of 140 patients, 2 described recall of awareness during anaesthesia. There was no evidence that external stimuli had been incorporated into dream content.