More medical stuff...

I have seen a few colonoscopies and EGD's here at Keio, and one thing in particular struck me.  The patients never emitted any sounds!  No complaints, no gagging, no moaning, nothing.  As a matter of fact, the procedures look fairly, dare I say, comfortable!  They are lightning fast here; right after an EGD, the patient walks right off the table and goes to sit in the recovery room.  I guess they use less anesthesia too?  

I had trouble asking about this in English, but I finally found one attending who remarked that it might be a combination of technique (he said they do more EGD's here) plus stoicism.  The Japanese patients are less likely to complain, he said.  Just not in their culture.

Wow, it was pretty cool to see such efficiency.