Pirogov, Nikolay Ivanovich

Nikolay Ivanovich Pirogov (Russian: Николай Иванович Пирогов; 25.11.1810 – 5.12.1881) was a renowned Russian surgeon, "The father of Russian field surgery" and "The father of Russian topography anatomy", scientist, professor of surgery, publicist and author. He is widely acclaimed as one of Russia's most distinguished doctors.

The most remarkable

• Field Surgery
• Anaesthesia in military medicine
• Topography anatomy

Pirogov organized the introduction of surgical anaesthesia in Russia, and made a number of important contributions to the field: "He was the first to describe the negative effects of general anesthesia and the possibility of severe complications . . . He also described many of the modern methods of anesthesia, including inhaled endotracheal anesthesia, intravenous anesthetics, rectal use of anesthetics, and spinal anesthesia" (Ericksson, Miller's Anesthesia, p. 52). He was also one of the first to used ether anaesthesia on the battlefield. Garrison-Morton.com 5655. 

World's first narcosis at battlefield

The world's first anaesthesia using ether was performed by Dr. Crawford Long on March 30, 1842, in Jefferson, Georgia, USA. This marked a significant advancement in surgical practices, allowing for pain-free operations.

On October 16, 1846, William T. G. Morton successfully demonstrated the use of ether anaesthesia at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, which garnered widespread attention and significantly influenced surgical practices worldwide. Inspired by Morton's success, many European surgeons, including Robert Liston, began using ether. On December 21, 1846, Liston performed the first operation under ether anaesthesia in Europe, at University College Hospital in London, further solidifying ether’s acceptance in surgical procedures.

World's first narcosis at battlefield

On February 1, 1847, Fyodor I. Inozemtsev, under ether inhalation anaesthesia, performed the first surgery in Russia to remove a cancerous breast. Two weeks later, on February 14, in Saint Petersburg, Nikolay I. Pirogov used ether anaesthesia.

Nikolay I. Pirogov played a crucial role in the development of surgical anaesthesia in Russia. He first tested the clinical course of anaesthesia on himself and his assistants before applying ether anaesthesia to patients in clinical settings.

On February 14, 1847, Pirogov performed his first surgery under ether anaesthesia at the Second Military Land Hospital. He quickly published his findings, concluding that ether anaesthesia could "completely transform surgery."

With approximately 50 ether anaesthesia operations under his belt in Saint Petersburg, Pirogov decided to apply this experience to military field surgery during the ongoing Caucasian War. On July 8, 1847, he traveled to the Caucasus to study the effects of ether anesthesia on a large scale. Along the way, in Pyatigorsk and Temir-Khan-Shura, he introduced local doctors to ether anesthesia and performed several demonstration surgeries.

In the Samur detachment near the fortified village of Salty, Pirogov had to operate in a primitive "hospital" made of straw-covered branches and stone benches. After his initial observations of anaesthesia in warfare, he emphasized the need for trained anaesthetists in the military. Near Salty, Pirogov performed up to 100 operations under anaesthesia.

"Russia, ahead of Europe, demonstrated through our actions during the siege of Salty not only the feasibility but also the indisputably beneficial effects of etherization on the wounded on the battlefield. We hope that henceforth, the ether apparatus will become, like the surgeon's knife, an essential tool for every doctor on the battlefield," wrote Pirogov in the Military Medical Journal.

Having studied anaesthesia in experimental and clinical settings, both in peacetime and wartime, Pirogov became a passionate advocate for its use.