Study suggests approach to waking patients after surgery

The use of general anesthesia for surgery has not changed fundamentally since it was first introduced 170 years ago. Patients are still left to come around in their own time following withdrawal of the drug. However, some patients can take a considerable amount of time to wake up, creating a line up of problems. Now researchers have moved a step closer to a treatment to rapidly awaken patients after administration of a general anesthetic, following a study of the mechanism that allows people to regain consciousness.