The History of Anesthesia
We can be happy times have changed
Anesthesia dates back to the mid-1800's when the use of ether made it possible to
perform surgery without the patient feeling pain. Crawford W. Long was said to be the
first to use ether in a surgery in which a growth was removed from a patients neck (see article).
The first demonstration of ether anesthesia was in the Etherdome of the Massachusetts
General Hospital on October 16th, 1846. The patient, Gilbert Abbott, had a tumor on his
neck. W.T.G. Morton, a dentist who would give the anesthetic, held a glass of ether up to
his face. The surgeon was Professor John Warren (see article).
Before then, what did doctor's use? Surgeon's were rated for their speed, not
precision. Patients were terrified of surgery or dental work because the doctor came
marching in the operating room with two bottles of whiskey-one for the patient and one for
him-so he could endure the patients screams (see article).
In an estimation, anesthesia was ready to take on cardiac surgery in about 1942 for by
that time oxygen and ether had been shown to be a reliable safe anesthetic, the blood
pressure cuff and stethoscope had been used for about forty years to monitor the safety of
patients under anesthesia and the Cambridge Simplitrol portable ECG machine, although
cumbersome, was being recommended for perioperative use. The latter had been introduced by
Dr. Wayne Smith, a general practitioner from Providence, Rhode Island. The endotracheal
tube was in general use, blood banks had been established and Dr. Harold Griffith had
introduced Curare into the practice of anesthesia which made controlled ventilation in
light anesthesia possible.
Since then, medicine has progressed rapidly. An estimated 25 million anesthetics are
administered each year in this country. Anesthesiologists and CRNAs provide or participate
in more than 90 percent of these anesthetics. In the operating room, they are responsible
for the medical management and anesthetic care of the patient throughout the duration of
the surgery. In the recovery room, while safety is of course the foremost priority during
surgery, it is also of utmost concern that the patient be monitored and continually
assessed while fully regaining consciousness. In most cases, the anesthesiologist decides
when the patient has recovered enough to be sent home following outpatient surgery or has
been stabilized sufficiently to be moved to a regular room or ward in the medical
facility.
Today, anesthesia covers a broad spectrum of medical treatment. Anesthesiologists
specialize in techniques such as cardiac catheterizations, pediatric, pain medicine,
critical care, trauma medicine and angioplasty procedures for emergency airway management
or resuscitation if necessary. |