General surgeon Arthur Williams discusses his article "A surgeon's battle with ketamine-induced hallucinations." He shares an account from his novel of an experience needing a pacemaker for a "janky heart" prone to atrial fibrillation and bradycardia (sick sinus node), complicated by a low ejection fraction. Arthur vividly describes the anxiety and vulnerability of being a surgeon on the patient side of the gown, his candid and sometimes critical inner thoughts during interactions with the nursing staff and anesthesiologist, and the specific fear associated with the invasive procedure. He recounts the anesthesiologist's decision to use ketamine due to its less cardiodepressive effects, despite warning of potential "weird dreams." Arthur then details the profound and disorienting visual hallucinations—kaleidoscopes of fire, burning apparitions, and a sense of crossing the River Styx—that occurred after the ketamine was administered, offering a raw look at the potential side effects of anesthesia from a physician's unique vantage point.

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A surgeon's startling ketamine experience

The Podcast by KevinMD