| Popis: |
Anaesthesia, being a relatively young medical specialty, has undergone a process of metamorphosis in the last 60 years. Modern principles of pathophysiology, technical developments, and new pharmacological principles have enhanced the potential of anaesthesia in the operating room, causing several subspecialties to develop. These subspecialties have enabled anaesthesiologists to better serve groups of patients with particular challenges and specific demands. The competences of anaesthesiologists in the pathophysiology of pain, pharmacology, and regional anaesthesia techniques enabled them to take the lead in the development of pain clinics, especially serving the increasing population of patients with chronic pain syndromes, often in close collaboration with experts from other disciplines. A similar development occurred in critical care medicine based on the expertise of anaesthesiologists in ventilatory and circulatory management and also in emergency medicine. With their overview of anaesthesia, intensive care medicine, and emergency medicine, anaesthesiologists are now in a position to lead in the whole perioperative process, not only in the medical management of individual patients but also in the logistic and organizational aspects of care. With further developments in information technology, in telemedicine, and rapid changes in society, with the increased demand of care in times of limited financial resources, a strong appeal will be made to anaesthesiologists to show leadership and cross boundaries. An increased focus on teamwork with surgeons, non-medical professionals, but also with managers and insurance companies in healthcare may open new horizons for the specialty of anaesthesiology and perioperative medicine. |
