Dr. John R Bracken, MD

I’m sharing my experience as a warning to anyone who may receive anesthesia care from Dr. J. Bracken at Saint Luke’s. During my C-section in August 2025, I experienced a very frightening situation while under Dr. Bracken’s care. In the middle of surgery, I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe, became confused, and kept losing consciousness. My husband and I repeatedly tried to get Dr. Bracken’s attention, but he dismissed our concerns with comments like “your vitals are fine.” However, when I reviewed my records afterward, my blood pressure was recorded as dangerously low during the time I was struggling — as low as 65/49 during surgery and 97/28 afterward. These readings are not normal, and they matched exactly what I was feeling in the moment. Even during this unstable period, Dr. Bracken began talking casually about the ribs he planned to cook for Labor Day. Hearing this while I was drifting in and out of consciousness was extremely unsettling and made me feel ignored during a… genuinely distressing medical situation. The anesthesia documentation later stated “no issues,” which does not match either the vital signs or what I experienced. I have filed a formal complaint with the hospital because I believe this needs to be reviewed. I’m posting this so others can be aware of my experience and make fully informed decisions about their anesthesia care. I sincerely hope no one else has to go through something like this under Dr. Bracken’s care.