AIBU to think the medical profession has let my friend down by not telling her about sexual hallucinations?

[FloursandFlowers]

My lovely friend, Jill, went into hospital for a procedure and left saying she was sexually assaulted during it. She reported it and there was an investigation.
Everyone in the room at the time was interviewed, nurses etc, and all said it didn’t happen and were adamant and consistent.
I have since learned that the anaesthetic she had can cause sexual hallucinations, where the patient believes they were awake throughout and recalls being abused, involving the area of the body involved in the procedure.
No one involved in the enquiry has told her this can happen. Am I wrong to think they should have? They may not have wanted to be that person who appears to doubt her but the impact of not saying anything seems even worse.
The denial and consistency in all the nurses stories is causing her more upset than the doctor abusing her, she feels gaslit and that a large group of women have conspired to cover up an assault they all witnessed.
Of course, as her friend I am supporting her. I know she is experiencing a terrible trauma.
If sexual hallucinations are a known (even though rare) side effect, shouldn’t an independent dr/anaesthetist have discussed this with her at some point? Instead of everyone repeatedly telling her it couldn’t possibly have happened, which is just horrendous.
I feel like it’s too late now, this happened a year ago and she would be furious if anyone suggested it now.
It’s all absolutely awful and having a terrible impact on her.

Did she have a pre-op consultation?

She did.

If it's rare enough, they may not have known. Depends on when the information leaflet was updated by the manufacturer and whether the anaesthetist is up to date with recent research. Where did you find this information?
In the ideal world we would all have time to keep up with the latest evidence. Pragmatically, we may only scan summaries a couple of times a year as part of our CPD. I have the latest professional publication on the passenger seat of my car for a week now. I still haven't found the time to read it. So uness there was an direct update from the manufacturer landing in anaesthetist mail box, I wouldn't assume they knew.
Another issue is, if this information came to light retrospectively, it is not actually the goal of the enquiry to find an explanation. The goal is to ascertain whether sexual assault took place. Which, seemingly, it didn't. That's pretty much where the enquiry ends.

A quick google shows this:

Yes, certain anesthetics can cause sexual hallucinations, although it is considered a rare side effect; drugs like propofol, midazolam, and nitrous oxide are particularly known to potentially induce vivid sexual fantasies

News to me! But were the side effects listed in the pre op paper work she signed?

As pp said it's important that it is established that there was no actual assault. They seem to be doing that.

I've been a nurse in a surgical ward for 29 years and have never heard of this. It is incredibly unlikely she was abused while in theatre. They are full of people.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I heard about the possible hallucinations from a friend of a friend (American dentist) who was saying that patients often do/say inappropriate sexual things after anaesthetics, and mentioned sexual hallucinations. So I googled, not that I trust everything google says! But there are many articles about it, although considered rare.
Thank you for pointing out the enquiry isn’t to find an explanation. I hadn’t thought of it that way. It feels sad that no one has that responsibility but I understand it.

I’ve worked on critical care for over 20 years, we administer propofol and midazolam daily, to multiple patients. I’ve never heard of specifically sexual hallucinations. Although lots of our patients suffer delirium.

If a patient makes an assault claim we should investigate it without bias.

I don’t think they were listed as side effects. Thank you for your reply, it was news to me too!

I cant be bothered now as I’m just about to go to bed, I’ll post a link tomorrow. But if you like you can Google the surgeon who sexually abused a score of patients, including orally raping one in front of a room full of nurses who didn’t realise what he was doing

Thank you for everyone’s replies. I am
ever so worried about her.
There were investigations but the case has been closed now.

Absolutely chilling. How awful 😢

That doesn't mean it doesn't happen. There was that case in Brazil where the anaesthesiologist was sexually assaulting female patients whilst they were under. Nurses were aware and too scared to speak out.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/viral-videos/caught-on-cam-anesthetist-caught-on-camera-raping-a-pregnant-woman-during-surgery-in-brazil/videoshow/98235094.cms

I worked on ICU for quite a few years and I was told this could happen even though I never had any direct experience of it. Ketamine was apparently the most common drug to cause it but by the time I worked in ICU it was no longer used.

I always wondered how trauma counselling would be provided to anyone unfortunate enough to experience this side effect. It's real to the patient even if it didn't happen in reality and I can't imagine how the outcome of the investigation must have added to her trauma.

I'm so sorry for her and I don't know what to suggest. If she has been told at the time that sexual hallucinations were actually a thing then she might have stood a chance of working through the trauma but I think you are correct in thinking that the suggestion now might just feel like a continuation of a cover up. Could you perhaps phone rape crisis and ask for advice?

Have you posted this before? I. Sure I read this the other week

A quick Google and this came up
https://theconversation.com/anesthesia-can-cause-disturbing-sexual-hallucinations-leading-to-lasting-psychological-trauma-204612

Even if there is a logical explanation, accusations still have to be taken seriously and investigated accordingly. There’s no way staff can turn around and say “you’re mistaken”, you must be able to see that. I’m glad there was an explanation, and I’m sorry your friend has had this terrible experience, but they absolutely were right to investigate.

Why are people responding to the OP?

Night time post ✅
First time poster ✅
Weird post about sex ✅

OP is a man getting off on this. dont feed the troll and report

Thought it had non consensual overtones in the op.
Nothing like the night to bring out the weirdos.

How on earth do you come to that conclusion?

It’s detailed in my post. No mods on MN on a nighttime and it brings the creeps out. Look what happened the other night!

Um, the OP posted at 21.55, that's hardly the middle of the night.
'weird post about sex' - it doesn't go into any details
And it's against MN rules to troll-hunt.

But that doesn’t mean that’s what this is. How do you know it’s a man? First time poster?

Petty sure this exact post has been posted here before, months ago.

First time poster - I AS the OP.

And it’s pretty obvious. A poster with a “poor friend” who’s apparently been through a whole complaints process and had an outcome just happens to need to post on MN, a site where just 2 days ago was flooded with IOC, to ask for opinions about sexual fantasies.

Theres no mods at 9.55 this is well known.

These posts never do go into details as they expect other players to share their own stories so they can have a wank over it all