Stellan Eriksson & Sixten Bredbacka

Stellan Eriksson completed his CRNA training at Jönköping Hospital (Sweden) and
joined the anesthesia department at St. Görans Hospital from 1978 until 1987. From
1987 to1989 he worked for Gambro-Engström AB as clinical application specialist for
ELSA, the first workstation with an electronic vaporizer designed to facilitate low
flow anesthesia. After returning as CRNA to St Görans Hospital (1990), he became
division leader for anesthesia equipment and IT coordinator. Together with Sixten
Bredbacka, attending anesthesiologist at St Görans Hospital, they managed to have
the entire department consistently work with manual closed circuit anesthesia. In a
self-experiment, Dr. Bredbacka’s low FIO2 of 8% (!) resulting in an SpO2 of 72%
while breathing from a circle breathing system with a 1 L/min air fresh gas flow
convincingly demonstrated the dangers of inhaling air at reduced fresh gas flows
(J Clin Mon Comp 2016;30:251-2). This passion, dedication, and perseverance is what they share with Dr. Leo Vaes.