Bacon D R, Reddy V, Murphy O T
Department of Anesthesiology, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA.
Reg Anesth. 1995 May-Jun;20(3):185-92.
Physicians in the 1920s and 1930s began to treat patients with chronic pain syndromes using regional anesthetic techniques for both temporary and permanent block of pain pathways. The founding of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA) in 1923 provided a unique venue for the dissemination of information concerning regional anesthesia for both surgery and chronic pain management.
The growth of chronic pain management on a national basis was assessed by using the Quarterly Cumulative Index to the Medical Literature to trace the distribution of information on regional anesthesia. From the Minutes of Meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia, presented papers and the discussion that followed were analyzed.
Inquiries into regional anesthesia during the 1920s and 1930s predominantly dealt with technique. For the first time pain papers were listed under the regional anesthesia heading in the Index. The papers presented at ASRA meetings during the period helped develop the use of regional anesthesia for both chronic pain management and surgical anesthesia.
The ASRA was instrumental in bringing together physicians interested in regional anesthesia and pain management. During the 1930s physician anesthetists came to predominate as the organization's officers and members and helped translate the work of the ASRA into a part of the knowledge required to be a specialist physician in anesthesia.
20世纪20年代和30年代的医生开始使用区域麻醉技术治疗慢性疼痛综合征患者，以暂时或永久阻断疼痛传导通路。1923年美国区域麻醉学会（ASRA）的成立为传播有关手术和慢性疼痛管理的区域麻醉信息提供了一个独特的场所。
通过使用《医学文献季刊累积索引》来追踪区域麻醉信息的分布，评估全国范围内慢性疼痛管理的发展情况。对美国区域麻醉学会会议记录中的报告论文及随后的讨论进行了分析。
20世纪20年代和30年代对区域麻醉的研究主要涉及技术。首次在索引的区域麻醉标题下列出了疼痛相关论文。该时期在ASRA会议上发表的论文推动了区域麻醉在慢性疼痛管理和手术麻醉中的应用。
ASRA有助于召集对区域麻醉和疼痛管理感兴趣的医生。在20世纪30年代，麻醉医生开始在该组织的官员和成员中占主导地位，并帮助将ASRA的工作转化为成为麻醉专科医生所需知识的一部分。
