Evolution of Mechanical Ventilation

Editor-in-Chief: "We start a new series on the evolution of medical technology and physiology"

Photo: Dr. Ilkka Kalli, MD moderator at ISICEM-06

Dr. Ilkka Kalli, MD, PhD, MBA Anesthesiologist, Editor-in-chief, Clinical Window Web Journal See the editor-in-chief working and his Curriculum Vitae

2006 was a busy year for Clinical Window since we started organizing Scientific Symposia at medical congresses to reach our audience on several fronts. Coordinating four symposia in 12 months turned the editor inside me around with the result that we published only two web journal issues in 2006. Now approaching steady state, our presence will be more regular.

New topic: Evolution of mechanical ventilation
This 22nd issue completes our 7th volume of Clinical Window Web Journal (CWWJ). I liked the idea of having a bit of historical perspective along with some neonatal aspects. That made me combine a historical article on the evolution of ventilation with another on the newborn’s first attempts at breathing.

First, to tune our readers to the point of view, Mr. Andras Gedeon, DSc (Stockholm, Sweden), writes about “Mechanical ventilation, a historical perspective”. He brings us through nearly 500 years of history since the first experiments by Vesalius - but that’s all I am releasing here. The rest you can come and read yourself.

Second, Dr. Javier García Fernández, MD (Madrid, Spain), a pediatric intensivist, writes on the topic: “Optimal PEEP - what we can learn from neonates”. Do you know what a great effort the very first breath at delivery is for the newborn? Briefly, it is enormous! In fact, the newborn’s physiology is very special: its lungs would collapse at the end of normal expiration, and it would need to recruit the lungs again at each inspiration. To know more, read the article on the web.

New series to start soon
Immersion in medical history can be refreshing. Over a couple of years, CWWJ has been publishing illustrated short stories on the history of anesthesiology. Now that series is complete – another good reason to revisit our website. I am excited to let readers know that we will soon start publishing a new illustrated series: “Evolution of medical technology and physiology”. Watch our pages!

In the pipeline
In March CWWJ plans to publish our 23rd issue on spirometry and assessment of lung function. There will be material from Prof. Stenqvist’s research team at the University of Gothenburg - which is where Spirodynamics was invented. Other exciting articles on pulmonary function and ventilatory support are also waiting for publication. As always, anesthesiology is our other important focus, and before summer we will be publishing articles on physiologic monitoring, clinical pharmacology and intravenous anesthesia.

In general, Clinical Window continues to reshape and widen its scope. We will find new topics for cardiology or for maternal and infant care, and move to new applications of ultrasound (anesthesiology, emergency medicine). Let me hint that we are also studying some new environments like NICU, and technologies like MRI.

Special thanks to the efforts of scientists who have contributed at the Clinical Window symposia as speakers and chairpersons. Having an audience of 150-200 clinicians at each of the four earlier symposia was clearly positive. See information about our coming 5th (critical care) and 6th (anesthesiology) symposia as published in the CWWJ.

I would like to invite you give me feedback on any aspect you wish. You are also most welcome to suggest articles or topics for publication, or submit your text for assessment by our advisory board.

In Clinical Window we want to be near our audience. Be seeing you!

Ilkka Kalli MD, PhD, MBA
Anesthesiologist, Editor-in-Chief
Clinical Window Coordinator

Contact form

Last updated: 28 December 2006
Legal notice	© GE Healthcare 2008 ISSN 1795-6269 (Web) ISSN 1795-6277 (CD)	Webmaster