Innovations in Anesthesia: Past, Present, and Future

Modern anesthesia has evolved markedly since William Clark et al., introduced vinyl ether in the mid nineteenth-century. That history, coupled with current clinical trends, provide context for considering future possibilities in Anesthesiology. Three dynamic components of the field: 1) pharmaceutical agents, 2) information/mechanical technologies, and 3) human systems design can further evolve to improve patient safety and care in more efficient and socially conscious ways.