What Happens While You're Under Anesthesia?

Short Wave

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4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

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Summary

Picture a relaxing scene. Maybe a beach in Tahiti, your toes in the sand, a cold drink in hand. Now imagine your favorite music playing in the background.

If Dr. Alopi Patel were your anesthesiologist, that's exactly what she'd have you do while you waited on an operating table for surgery. Today, she takes us on a journey through the history and science of this cornerstone of modern medicine.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	my defining characteristic for him is love i'm jesse thorne on bolzai kelsey grammar on the thing that makes fraser
0:08.9	that he loves so deeply that it almost harpoons him plus sideshow bob cheers and so much more
0:17.3	on bolzai for maximum fun.org and NPR.
0:28.3	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:34.7	Hi, my name is Dr. Patel, and I'm the anesthesiologist, and we're going to go into the operating room now. So the room might be a little cold.
0:38.7	There might be a few people here.
0:40.0	And I also have a few people. This is what you'd hear in surgery if Dr. Alopew Patel was your anesthesiologist.
0:45.7	When she puts patients under, she tries to explain everything as it happens.
0:50.4	So patients know what to expect.
0:52.3	Okay.
0:52.6	So while you're sleeping, we're going to go on vacation.
0:55.9	Where do you want to go?
0:57.0	Tahiti.
0:57.8	Ooh, I like Tahiti.
0:59.5	So we're going to go to Tahiti.
1:01.0	We're going to go to Bora Bora and Tahiti, and we're sitting on the beach.
1:05.7	She'll put on your favorite music and continue this guided vacation imagery, meant to put you as the patient into a relaxed
1:12.9	state.
1:14.7	We're sitting on the beach, putting our toes in the sand, and do you want a margarita, a mojito?
1:22.1	What are we drinking today?
1:23.1	Yeah, margarita.
1:24.1	Salt or no salt?
	...

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