Van de poliomyelitisepidemie naar de oprichting van beademingscentra, intensivecareafdelingen en centra voor thuisbeademing ; From the poliomyelitis epidemic to the founding of artificial respiration centres, intensive care units and centres for home mechanical ventilation

In 1952, Copenhagen was confronted with a poliomyelitis epidemic that involved the respiratory musculature in large numbers of patients. The anaesthetist B. Ibsen, who established carbon dioxide intoxication due to severe hypoventilation as the cause of death, proposed that the patients be treated by tracheostomy and positive pressure respiration in order to achieve better ventilation than with an iron lung. In the Netherlands, it was decided to organise the control ofthe epidemics on a nationwide basis. Various hospitals were asked to set up artificial respiration centres. In addition, the Be... Mehr ...