Under general anesthesia, the conscious mind shuts off—or so we have long thought. But a new study of people in this state suggests the anesthetized brain still picks up sounds, words and even ...

It’s further proof that even fairly complex neural processes are not the same as consciousness.

Anesthesia prevents patients from feeling pain during surgery, yet it can be one of the most frightening aspects of surgery for some people. Fear of the unknown is understandable, but finding out what ...

An anesthesiologist always visits a patient being prepped for any surgery that involves general anesthesia. During the visit, the doctor describes the anesthesia process and asks the patient questions ...

Over 350 million surgeries are performed globally each year. For most of us, it's likely at some point in our lives we'll have to undergo a procedure that needs general anesthesia. Even though it is ...

Regional anesthesia—typically with a spinal or epidural block—has long been favored for cesarean births due in part to concerns about the effects that general anesthesia may have on newborns during ...