Review on the monograph of Doctor of Medical Sciences Professor V.I. Strashnova «Development of the anesthesiology and intensive care at the Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Saint Petersburg, 2021

The monograph is devoted to the history of anesthesiology at the Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University. In the first chapter titled «The beginning of the epoch of anesthesia», the author emphasized the role of coryphaeus. Russian world surgeon and anesthesiologist, Nikolay I Pirogov, enumerated the merits of Vasily von Anrep, the first rector of the women’s medical institute who discovered the local anesthetic property of cocaine. The second chapter, «Development of anesthesia: from 1918 to 1950», shows the role of Professors V.A. Shaak, L.A. Andreev, K.K. Skrobansky, and A.A. Zykov. The third chapter, «Development of Anesthesiology: from 1945 till 1970», describes the beginning of the application of the apparatus method of general anesthesia and the first dissertations in anesthesiology. The fourth chapter, «Development of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care since 1971», describes the establishment of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care in 1974 and the results of its scientific work, particularly the role of epidural anesthesia in the anesthesiological support of lung surgery, the development of combined spinal–epidural anesthesia, and the establishment of a new direction - adrenergic analgesia. The fifth chapter, «Development of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care since 2001», includes data about monographs and is written by the department staff. The sixth chapter, «Development of Anesthesiology since 2013», shows the changes in the educational activities of the department and the challenges of providing emergency care to individuals with various qualifications. The monograph will be useful for students, clinical residents, practical physicians, and historians of medicine.