Rabu, 25 April 2012

The stuff of nightmares: Man comes around during lung operation but cannot communicate because of anaesthetic

The stuff of nightmares: Man comes around during lung operation but cannot communicate because of anaesthetic

By Mail Foreign Service

PUBLISHED: 19:37 EST, 24 April 2012 | UPDATED: 02:46 EST, 25 April 2012

It is many people's worst nightmare.

But for one young man it became reality as he woke up in agony during a lung operation but was unable to tell the surgeons what had happened because he'd been temporarily paralysed by medication.

Mathias Strom - from Vaxjo, southern Sweden - could feel every cut of the surgeon's scalpel and listened to the medical team chatting about his progress as he endured 35 minutes of agony before passing out because of the pain.

Nightmare: The man was awake and could feel what the surgeons were doing - but couldn't move

Nightmare: The man was awake and could feel what the surgeons were doing - but couldn't move (file photo)

In a formal complaint into the collapsed lung op he said: 'It was a terrible experience, my worst nightmare.

'I could hear the doctors and nurses speaking and the pain became more and more intense.

'My brain kept telling me over and over, "Say your name, say something, do something to let them know, wiggle your toes".

'But I was completely incapable of saying something or moving my body at all.

'My first words when I woke up were of real anger, I told them ‘What the hell have you done? Hell, my back hurts, where was the anaesthesia?'.

Agony: Mathias Strom, 22, endured 35 minutes of horrific pain before passing out because it was so bad

Agony: Mathias Strom, 22, endured 35 minutes of horrific pain before passing out because it was so bad (file photo)

At first doctors had doubted the story believing that it had been a dream â€" but after he accurately reported details of who had been present and what they had spoken about â€" the anaesthetist was called and admitted that there had been some indications that the operation was not going as normal.

However none of the medical staff had elaborated after this admission and after failing to get satisfaction for his ordeal â€" he decided to take it further.

He said: 'If anybody had been able to give me a satisfactory explanation and apology I might not have taken it this far. But the fact is I've heard nothing.'

The incident had happened in March and only came to light after the man wrote to the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) to complain.

Hospital management however declined to comment, saying that they had not been informed about the complaint and would not say anything until they had more details.
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In the complaint he said he had been awake for over half an hour of the operation, which his records had shown had taken place for about 50 min.
He said he had woken up after 15 minutes and then had to endure the ordeal until he passed out.

He added that since the incident he suffered from nightmares and would wake up fearing that the incident was being repeated again.

He said: 'It is still difficult - it was the worst thing I could imagine. I still find it hard to sleep.'

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Nice big dose of midazolam at the end of surgery and all would have been forgotten.

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This happened to a friend of mine about 7 years ago. She was having her pancreas removed, and could feel everything they were doing to her, but was completely paralysed. They noticed her heart racing and joked about the possibility that she could feel everything. In the end it turns out that she was misdiagnosed and didn't need to have it removed at all. Her life is completely ruined after this experience and the NHS refuse to accept responsibility.

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Ask your anaesthetist to use a BIS monitor. The issue of anaesthetic awareness is well known in the medical community and there is no reason for a medic not to monitor the EEG except laziness.

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I was awake just prior to the commencement of an operation. Lying on the table with the medical staff around I was paralysed by the medication and quite unable to communicate. Luckily after about a minute I finally went under. I told the surgeon the next day on his rounds and he took it up with the anethetist who informed me that she had got 'the timing wrong'. When I had to go under a second time with the same surgeon I asked for a male anethetist!! All went well.

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I woke up during surgery, a hysterectomy. It was horrendous, I was only awake for a few minutes, the pain was incredible. The Surgeon did not believe me until I told him parts of their conversation! I was terrified at the the thought of anything medical and surgery for years, but two years ago I had to have a serious surgery, t went well and the Doctors said the previous anesthatist had messed up up, that it shouldn't ever happen.

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I woke up during surgery, a hysterectomy. It was horrendous, I was only awake for a few minutes, the pain was incredible. The Surgeon did not believe me until I told him parts of their conversation! I was terrified at the the thought of anything medical and surgery for years, but two years ago I had to have a serious surgery, t went well and the Doctors said the previous anesthatist had messed up up, that it shouldn't ever happen.

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I woke during a caesarian operation but fortunately the anaesthetist noticed tears coming out of my eyes and quickly put me more deeply under. Fortunately it has not left me with any fear other than I say to doctors please make sure I'm under before you do anything as I woke up once. I'm lucky I had a good doctor.

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I woke whilst having my appendix taken out, I heard everything and could feel everything they were doing. My lips wouldn't move and eventually I passed out from the pain. I knew there was nothing wrong with the appendix as I heard the surgeon say so and that he would clip it out anyway. When the surgeon came to see me and I told him he said..Oh no my dear, you certainly would not have felt it, you may have heard something as your hearing is the last thing to go. I was 16 and have dreaded having to have an op since.

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I've heard of this happening to others. Surgical staff need to be cognizant of problems during procedures; they generally sense something is wrong but ignore it and the result is a nightmare for the patient.

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I awoke during wisdom teeth removal - could say nothing because of the dentists hands and tools in my mouth.Conked out after he started yanking another one out. Didn't go to another dentist for over 20 years. Can't imagine how horrendous a surgery would be under those conditions.Just hope he sues and wins millions......

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