“One thing is clear: Although some physicians have been known in the past to dismiss reports of awareness as simply a bad dream, the consensus is that it exists.

Anesthesia awareness – regaining some level of consciousness during surgery – is thought to occur in perhaps one or two out of 1,000 surgical patients in the United States, a total of 20,000 to 40,000 cases a year. The bulk of them do not feel pain.

Still, for some it is so disturbing that they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and must undergo counseling.

For general anesthesia, patients typically are given a mix of drugs – including one to “knock them out” and often another called a paralytic.

This relaxes the muscles to make surgery easier. But in the rare case that a patient starts to wake up – not able to speak – the paralytic effect can be horrifying.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)