Medical errors may be third leading cause of death in the U.S.

By Jen Christensen and Elizabeth Cohen, CNN

Updated 0147 GMT (0947 HKT) May 4, 2016

Without adequate anesthesia during surgery, your brain can stay awake and aware while your muscles stay frozen. It's called anesthesia awareness, and it happens to about one out of every 1,000 patients. When you schedule surgery, ask your surgeon if a local anesthetic could work instead. You may not need to be put to sleep.

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Waking up during surgery – Without adequate anesthesia during surgery, your brain can stay awake and aware while your muscles stay frozen. It's called anesthesia awareness, and it happens to about one out of every 1,000 patients. When you schedule surgery, ask your surgeon if a local anesthetic could work instead. You may not need to be put to sleep.

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