FLASHBACK AND NIGHTMARES AFTER SURGERY UNDER NEURAXIAL ANESTHESIA - AREPORT OF 2 CASES

Recall, awareness, flashback, and nightmares are reported complication s of general anesthesia, but flashback and nightmares after regional a nesthesia have not been described. Two patients underwent vascular and orthopedic surgery under spinal and epidural anesthesia, respectively . Local anesthetic consisted of bupivacaine, and sedation was achieved with the combination of fentanyl, midazolam, and diphenhydramine. In both patients the anesthetic course was uneventful, but the recovery p rocess was complicated by flashbacks and nightmares leading to depress ion, physical complaints, and lengthy convalescence. Flashback and nig htmares after neuraxial anesthesia are unreported and, therefore, thei r incidence is unknown. (C) 1998 by the American Congress of Rehabilit ation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehab ilitation.