The Evolution of Anaesthesia as a Critical Care Specialty
The Copenhagen polio epidemic of 1952 was a turning point. Bjørn Ibsen’s use of positive-pressure ventilation reduced mortality from 80-90% to 40%. Anaesthetists brought their skills—airway management, ventilation, haemodynamic support, resuscitation—to critical care. Peter Safar developed CPR. The ICU emerged as a distinct specialty, with anaesthetists at its heart, saving countless lives.
