Why staying awake during surgery might be your best option

Surgical team working in an operating theatre. (Courtesy)

Eons ago, when human surgery and anaesthesia were in their infancy, people endured surgical procedures whilst completely awake.

There were varying attempts at keeping patients pain-free, ranging from doing nothing at all to being knocked out using some crude methods. Dreadful pain with most procedures was the norm. But that is all history now. All surgical procedures are now pain-free, with varying levels of wakefulness.