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Patient awareness during general anesthesia: a shocking outcome
M Watkins-Pitchford1, S J Brull, S H Rosenbaum
1Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8051, USA.
Journal of Clinical Monitoring
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Discomfort from nerve stimulation during minimal anesthesia can be significant. In one case, it was more painful than surgical pain or breathing tube insertion.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Neuromuscular Monitoring
Background:
- Patient awareness during anesthesia can lead to distressing experiences.
- Nerve stimulators are used to monitor neuromuscular blockade, but can cause discomfort.
Observation:
- A patient undergoing a procedure under minimal anesthesia experienced significant discomfort.
- The discomfort was attributed to the impulses from the nerve stimulator used for monitoring muscle relaxation.
Findings:
- The patient reported that the pain from nerve stimulation was more severe than the pain from the surgical incision.
- Discomfort from nerve stimulation was also greater than that caused by the endotracheal tube.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for nerve stimulation to cause significant patient discomfort, even under minimal anesthesia.
- Anesthesiologists should consider the patient's perception of pain from nerve stimulators.
- Strategies to mitigate discomfort from nerve stimulation may be necessary.