Emery Brown, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and his colleagues say providers should be honest with patients about the reality of general anesthesia. They also hope to open a dialogue among physicians, since many branches of medicine could benefit from insight into anesthesia provision and drug administration.
The researchers compared general anesthesia to sleep and saw a substantial difference in EEG patterns depending on whether the patient was sleeping or under general anesthesia. They also noted similarities between patients emerging from general anesthesia or recovering from a coma.
Read the Boston Globe report on general anesthesia.
Read more on anesthesia:
–10 Most Read Anesthesia News Stories of 2010
–4 Tips on Difficult Airway Management
-IOM Report Urges Policymakers to Let Nurses Expand Their Roles
