In a letter to the New York Times, David Farris, MD, expressed concern with describing anesthesia as a "drug-induced coma" to patients, even if the description is medically accurate.
Dr. Farris agreed with the position of Emery N. Brown, MD, professor of anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School, that describing anesthesia as "putting someone to sleep" does a disservice to both patients and anesthesiologists. However, Dr. Farris said when he has described anesthesia as a "coma" to his patients, responses have "bordered on fear, sometimes with expressions suggesting they'd like another doctor." He said reception is somewhat better with school-age children.
Read the New York Times letter from Dr. Farris.
Read more on anesthesia:
-First U.S. Death Row Inmate to be Executed Solely With Anesthetic
-Anesthesia Journals Notify Readers of Plans to Retract 88 Articles by Dr. Joachim Boldt
-Anesthesiologist on the Move: Dr. Carlos Nunez Joins CareFusion as CMO
Dr. Farris agreed with the position of Emery N. Brown, MD, professor of anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School, that describing anesthesia as "putting someone to sleep" does a disservice to both patients and anesthesiologists. However, Dr. Farris said when he has described anesthesia as a "coma" to his patients, responses have "bordered on fear, sometimes with expressions suggesting they'd like another doctor." He said reception is somewhat better with school-age children.
Read the New York Times letter from Dr. Farris.
Read more on anesthesia:
-First U.S. Death Row Inmate to be Executed Solely With Anesthetic
-Anesthesia Journals Notify Readers of Plans to Retract 88 Articles by Dr. Joachim Boldt
-Anesthesiologist on the Move: Dr. Carlos Nunez Joins CareFusion as CMO