There are a number of reasonsTrusted Source you may experience consciousness or awareness while under general anesthesia, but ultimately, the issue is the failed delivery of anesthesia medication. This can happen due to mistakes made by the surgical team — so-called “syringe swaps,” where the wrong medication is used, or technical or device errors that don’t give you enough medication. If you have multiple medical conditions or you’re being sedated under difficult conditions, you also run the risk of anesthesia awareness. This is most common with cesarean deliveries, some heart surgeries, and other delicate operations where it may not be safe to use the usual amount of sedation.
