Keuskamp and the Amsterdam Infant Ventilator.
At the First International Symposium on the History of Modern Anaesthesia (1982), Professor Keuskamp mentioned that the introduction of breathing machines for lung ventilation during operations had taken over 'the tiresome handwork of ventilation'. This paper traces some aspects of Keuskamp's professional career and his role in the development of the Amsterdam Infant Ventilator. In 1974, Urban and Weitzner from the State University of New York reported that the ventilator was a reliable and effective constant-volume paediatric ventilator. Other clinicians from the United States and Europe echoed this satisfactory clinical evaluation. At present, this paediatric ventilator is still in use for the initial ventilation of small infants and for the mechanical ventilation of different animal species in a variety of experimental settings.
Hofland
J
J
Department of Anaesthesiology, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.hofland@amc.uva.nl
Leendertse-Verloop
K
K
Rupreht
J
J
D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009426:Netherlands; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000266:history*; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical / Q000266:history*