[Franz Kuhn (1866-1929) on the 125th anniversary of his birthday]

Abstract

At the beginning of the 20th century, the German surgeon Franz Kuhn (1866-1929) was the leading protagonist of various endotracheal intubation technics. In the period between 1900 and 1912, he wrote several papers on this topic including a remarkable monograph on intubation, which was not widely appreciated for decades. In this, he discussed--among others--the advantages and possible risks of the endotracheal intubation, for patients during surgical procedures as well as in situations of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Kuhn recommended the use of flexible metal tubes which were generally introduced into the trachea under digital control. Kuhn suggested the advantageous use of Kirstein's autoscope, too, a forerunner of modern laryngoscopes. To overcome the "pneumothorax problem" in thoracic surgery, he emphasized the positive pressure ventilation via endotracheal tubes. As an alternative, he suggested the insufflation technique for this purpose. He was the first to incorporate a carbon-dioxide absorption system within the anaesthesia apparatus. Later, he developed technical devices for the perioperative intravenous administration of fluids or the injection of local anaesthetic drugs under high pressure. In honour of Kuhn's 125th birthday, the various contributions to anaesthesia and emergency medicine are outlined.