According to a new study by Australian researchers, Anaesthetized revealed that one in 1,000 patients stays awake during their surgery. Research was led by Professors Andrew Davidson and Kate Leslie, from Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital.

On the opening day of the Combined Scientific Meeting in Hong Kong, Professors Andrew Davidson and Kate Leslie said that there are 2,000 anesthetists present in the conference and each of them has at least two incidents of patient staying awake during the time of their surgery.

Davidson said that majority of people do not believe in this as they never ask their patients about it after surgery. She said that the level of awareness depends on the vague memories to the 10% that who can summon up that what happened exactly. In the meantime, she also said that these very rare cases can suffer from long term post-traumatic stress disorder which leads to nightmare, anxiety and may be depression.

Professor Davidson added, “It seems to be the people that are most traumatized are the ones that are paralyzed and in pain and wide awake and unable to move and terrified about doing anything”.