[Valsalva: much more than a simple maneuver. Antonio Maria Valsalva (1666-1723)].
Valsalva is a term commonly used to designate a special maneuver, consisting in a forced expiratory effort against a closed airway. We use Valsalva's maneuver many times in our clinical practice and we usually do not think about its origin. Most people do not know that this was originally described by an outstanding anatomist, surgeon and pathologist, Antonio Maria Valsalva, the mentor of another great anatomist, Giovanni Battista Morgagni. Valsalva's contribution was vast and description of Valsalva's maneuver was only a small fraction of the legacy that he left us, almost three hundreds years ago. We render a tribute to a great man, and learn about his life and work.
García
Daniela
D
Departamentos de Radiología y Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
García
Cristián
C
D000715:Anatomy / Q000266:history*; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D007558:Italy; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver