Revista médica de Chile
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Anesthesia awareness, or "unintended intra-operative awareness" occurs during general anesthesia, on the operating table, when a patient has not had enough general anesthetic or analgesic to prevent consciousness or waking up during surgery. According to international studies its global incidence ranges from 0.1 to 0.2%. ⋯ The prevalence of symptoms compatible with post traumatic stress disorder can be as high as 50%, after experiencing the awareness phenomenon. This paper reviews the main issues of the awareness phenomenon.