This was a really good article and worth the read. I'm so glad that research and education is being done on this, especially as anesthesiology is one of the most difficult medical specialities due to the high risk factor
The older I get, the more I realize how limited our medical knowledge is.
We've made incredible discoveries, made miraculous recoveries common, and yet we are still in the dark about common ailments and how some of our drugs function.
Gift link: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/11/anesthesia-brain-damage-death/688691/?gift=f-nN7uFVEwq67xi6TNDnuGx8rVT-YoYy-VtNGzDaRA4&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
For those who simply want a TL;DR, Venezuelan patients with a specific "m.11232T>C" mutation develop damage to the basal ganglia after sevofluorane, which is an inhaled anesthetic.
In the midst of medical misinformation, anti-vax rhetoric, measles rising, etc. these side effects of modern medicine as presented in this article are extremely, extremely rare.
I’m excited to read the article, but with the literacy rate of the U.S. at an all time low (comprehension wise), I get a little worried this will validate the anti-medical establishment crowd.
Please read the article--the young man profiled and several other people who had significant adverse reactions to anesthesia are all the same ethnicity and turn out to share a rare genetic mutation. The tone is definitely not advocating for broad skepticism about surgery/anesthesia. I think it's more a medical mystery investigation crossed with a human interest story and an acknowledgement that there are aspects of medicine like anesthesia that are incredibly useful but we do not yet fully understand how and why they work.
I understand your point, but I think you'd have to just literally read the headline and move on to have that takeaway. And people definitely do this, but that is a problem that isn't necessarily in the hands of journalists to solve.
SaintGalentine | a day ago
This was a really good article and worth the read. I'm so glad that research and education is being done on this, especially as anesthesiology is one of the most difficult medical specialities due to the high risk factor
pm_me_ur_mustelids | 22 hours ago
The older I get, the more I realize how limited our medical knowledge is.
We've made incredible discoveries, made miraculous recoveries common, and yet we are still in the dark about common ailments and how some of our drugs function.
Thanks for posting this. It was fascinating.
Late_Resource_1653 | a day ago
Non paywall link?
blahblahjob | a day ago
Gift link: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/11/anesthesia-brain-damage-death/688691/?gift=f-nN7uFVEwq67xi6TNDnuGx8rVT-YoYy-VtNGzDaRA4&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
PPAPpenpen | 10 hours ago
For those who simply want a TL;DR, Venezuelan patients with a specific "m.11232T>C" mutation develop damage to the basal ganglia after sevofluorane, which is an inhaled anesthetic.
ladyluck754 | a day ago
In the midst of medical misinformation, anti-vax rhetoric, measles rising, etc. these side effects of modern medicine as presented in this article are extremely, extremely rare.
I’m excited to read the article, but with the literacy rate of the U.S. at an all time low (comprehension wise), I get a little worried this will validate the anti-medical establishment crowd.
[OP] Confident-Park-4718 | a day ago
Please read the article--the young man profiled and several other people who had significant adverse reactions to anesthesia are all the same ethnicity and turn out to share a rare genetic mutation. The tone is definitely not advocating for broad skepticism about surgery/anesthesia. I think it's more a medical mystery investigation crossed with a human interest story and an acknowledgement that there are aspects of medicine like anesthesia that are incredibly useful but we do not yet fully understand how and why they work.
I understand your point, but I think you'd have to just literally read the headline and move on to have that takeaway. And people definitely do this, but that is a problem that isn't necessarily in the hands of journalists to solve.
No_Top_381 | a day ago
Do you think the medicine haters are going to read the article? The click bait headline gives that impression and you know that's all they will read.
Dangerous_Golf_7417 | a day ago
Perhaps you should read the article and comment afterwards? It's not going anywhere.