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Major Anesthetic Themes in the 1970s

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The Wondrous Story of Anesthesia

Abstract

Increasing anesthesiologist numbers and diversity in the 1970s led to subspecialty societies and journals. Women constituted a rising fraction of anesthesiolgists. The practice of anesthesia became more diverse with an expanding application of outpatient surgery, establishment of regional anesthesia in everyday practice, and a rising use of anesthesia outside the operating room. Our understanding of anesthetic drugs and how to best use them changed. In the US, and to a lesser extent elsewhere, the minimally hepatotoxic enflurane replaced halothane. We explored neuromuscular pharmacokinetics and clinically defined recovery from neuromuscular blockade. Dantrolene treatment of malignant hyperthermia was initiated. We incorrectly thought we might understand how inhaled anesthetics acted. We found opioid receptors in the spinal cord, leading to intrathecal opioid administration to provide analgesia. Patients received opioid analgesia on demand.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Judy Donegan became the first woman ABA Director in 1983, and Betty Stephenson, the first woman ASA President in 1991. Jane Fitch became President-elect of the ASA in 2012.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Rod N. Westhorpe OAM MB BS FRCA FANZCA

  2. Departments of Anesthesia, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Lawrence j. Saidman MD

  3. Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Edmond I Eger II MD

Authors
  1. Rod N. Westhorpe OAM MB BS FRCA FANZCA
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  2. Lawrence j. Saidman MD
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  3. Edmond I Eger II MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rod N. Westhorpe OAM MB BS FRCA FANZCA .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Edmond I Eger II MD Emeritus Professor

  2. Departments of Anesthesia, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Lawrence J. Saidman MD Emeritus Professor

  3. Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Rod N. Westhorpe OAM, MB, BS FRCA, FANZCA Former Honorary Curator

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© 2014 Edmond I Eger, MD

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Westhorpe, R., Saidman, L., Eger II, E. (2014). Major Anesthetic Themes in the 1970s. In: Eger II, E., Saidman, L., Westhorpe, R. (eds) The Wondrous Story of Anesthesia. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8441-7_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8441-7_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8440-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8441-7

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