title: Patient memories of anesthesia--historical perspective.
abstract: Since the introduction of anesthetic agents for surgical pain relief in 1846, a number of clinical, experimental and anecdotal reports have been published concerning those patients having memories of their anesthesia. These reports can be divided into three broad categories: awareness of the surgical procedure or other intraoperative events; hallucinations, dreams or illusions; and transcendental experience. The history of each of these groups of experiences is reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldrete
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall