Video: Wide Awake Surgery

During wide awake surgery, rather than being put asleep, you are only numbed in the area of the body on which surgery is being performed. You will be awake during the procedure. But, don’t worry, you won’t be able to see the procedure being performed. There will be a blue sheet blocking your view. For example, if you are having a hand surgery, only your hand/arm will be numbed. This procedure is fully sterile as a normal surgery is.

Watch our short, 3-minute video above to hear from a surgeon and patient about wide awake surgery. Or, keep reading to learn about the benefits of wide awake surgery.

Benefits of Wide Awake Surgery

As opposed to being completely asleep during a surgery, after your wide awake surgery, you will not need to lie down in a hospital bed to recover or feel groggy. You will be able to stand up and walk out of the hospital or surgical center right away, feeling normal. Other benefits of wide awake surgery include:

• More comfortable for the patient
• Ability to take your normal medications
• No IVs
• No surgery gown
• Ability to talk to your surgeon during the procedure

Talk to your hand surgeon about whether wide awake surgery is an option for you. Learn more about hand surgery, conditions and injuries at www.HandCare.org. You can also watch more videos like this by visiting the YouTube channel of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.