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You could be awake during surgery

On Behalf of | Jun 28, 2016 | Surgical Errors

For most types of major surgery, you’re supposed to be unconscious, so you feel nothing. However, the Mayo Clinic says that about one out of every 500 people to have surgery done may wake up during it.

Often, this doesn’t mean the person is fully awake. He or she may have taken a drug meant to paralyze the muscles, and it is often still in effect. This only makes the situation worse, though, as it means that you can be awake and aware, but you can’t talk or move. As such, the medical team may think you’re still out, and they’ll keep operating on you even though you are awake.

This happened to one woman who was in surgery for hours to have her eye removed. She says that she tried to yell and move, but she couldn’t do anything. She was awake for a time and then finally passed out. When they officially woke her up again, she instantly started telling everyone she’d been aware of the horrific experience.

The plus side for that woman, however, was that she only felt pressure. She was never in pain. Another woman felt everything when having her stomach operated on. She knew there was a problem almost right away, but she couldn’t move. The pain was so bad that her heart actually stopped and had to be restarted by the medical team. She said afterward that it felt like torture, and it was all because she was given the wrong dosage.

Though these experiences may be rare, they can be traumatic and can lead to serious complications. You need to know what rights you have to compensation in New Jersey.

Source: Oddee, “7 Amazing Anesthesia Awareness stories,” accessed June 28, 2016

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