A short bio and interview of Dr. Bernard Brandstater MB, BS, FRCA, FANZCA, FACA, Professor of Anesthesiology, Loma Linda University via Creation.com:
- Organized and hosted the first congress of anesthesiologists in the Middle East: 127 specialists and professors from 23 different countries.
- Founded the Middle East Journal of Anaesthesiology, still going strong today.
- Gave the first epidural anesthesia in the Middle East; gave the first thousand himself, on-call day and night for a long time.
- Designed a novel multiple-aperture epidural catheter that became used world-wide.
- Introduced positive-pressure artificial respiration, replacing obsolete tank respirators.
- Had the first survivals recorded anywhere of babies with tetanus of the newborn.
- Introduced prolonged intubation1to assist infant breathing.2 This landmark technology spread rapidly. It triggered the quick appearance of neonatal intensive care units around the world. Dr Brandstater was invited to present a lecture on this at a 2013 conference at Sydney University.
- Was emergency medical consultant for King Saud of Saudi Arabia. He gave anesthesia to three of his queens, plus other VIPs.
- Designed and inaugurated the surgery suite at the new University Hospital. Hundreds of casualties from the Lebanese civil war were treated there.
- Lived through the dramatic 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and the surrounding Arab nations. Refugees flooded into Lebanon, and sadly they helped to disrupt the delicate politico-religious balance in Lebanon.
- In 1969 was appointed a professor of anesthesiology at Loma Linda University, California. He again served as founding chairman of a new department, which is now large and influential.
- Founded an anesthesia program for dentistry, now a model for programs elsewhere. He also inaugurated the Loma Linda Pain Clinic; and there’s much more!