ABSTRACT
For those patients with only a local block and no sedation or anaesthesia, the block can be allowed to wear off in the presence of adequate analgesia.
For those patients who have received sedation or a general anaesthetic, within a reasonable time of the end of surgery a satisfactory emergence requires the following:
? return of consciousness with intact laryngeal reflexes and mentation; ? return of muscle power and with it the ability to cough and move; ? adequate analgesia, hopefully with no nausea.
