INTRAOPERATIVE AND ANESTHESIA AWARENESS

Course overview

AWARENESS UNDER ANESTHESIA IS A PREVENTABLE COMPLICATION THAT CAN LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT PSYCHOLOGICAL SEQUELAE, INCLUDING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. INTRAOPERATIVE AWARENESS OCCURS WHEN THE DEPTH OF ANESTHESIA IS INADEQUATE TO ACHIEVE A STATE OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS. THE MOST SEVERE CASES OF INTRAOPERATIVE AWARENESS OCCUR WHEN PATIENTS RECALL EVENTS THAT OCCURRED WHILE UNDER ANESTHESIA, INCLUDING PAIN, PARALYSIS, OR FEELINGS OF IMPENDING DEATH. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS DEFINITIONS OF INTRAOPERATIVE AWARENESS, INCIDENCE, RISK FACTORS, AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES THAT INTERPROFESSIONAL CLINICAL TEAM MEMBERS CAN USE TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE OCCURRENCE OF INTRAOPERATIVE AWARENESS AMONG SURGICAL PATIENTS.