Remembering Physicians
The Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital honors physicians who have made contributions to fellow staff members as well as patient care.
Warren Zapol, MD
Warren M. Zapol, MD, 79, Massachusetts General Hospital emeritus anesthetist-in-chief (1994 to 2008), and the Reginald Jenney Distinguished Professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School, passed away on December 14, 2021.
Dr. Zapol was a visionary, an explorer and an inventor. During an extraordinary career, he led laboratory and clinical programs in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary physiology and expeditions to Antarctica. He was generous and kind with his time, mentorship and guidance. Among his many world-renowned accomplishments in the field, Dr. Zapol demonstrated to the world that inhaled nitric oxide is a selective pulmonary vasodilator, a discovery that has positively shaped the course of modern medicine and helped save innumerable lives.
Dr. Zapol graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1966. He pursued the Mass General Anesthesia Residency Program in 1970 after a surgical internship at Boston City Hospital and several formative research training years at the National Institutes of Health. After his residency training, he joined the Mass General Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine as faculty. He never left and, in 1985, he rose to the academic rank of Professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School.
A generation of clinicians and scientists worldwide was influenced by Dr. Zapol to reach for the stars. On behalf of the department and hospital, we extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Zapol's wife, Nikki, his two children, Liza and David, his extended family and friends.
Robert Michael Kacmarek, PhD, RRT, FCCM, FCCP, FARC
Robert Michael Kacmarek, PhD, RRT, FCCM, FCCP, FARC, passed away on April 1, 2021 at 72 years old. Dr. Kacmarek was a beloved colleague and regarded as one of the most influential figures in field of respiratory therapy.
In 1984, Dr. Kacmarek came to Mass General as the director of respiratory care. Under his consummate leadership, the Mass General Respiratory Care Services grew substantially.
Throughout his career, Dr. Kacmarek was a prolific educator and researcher, always striving to advance the profession, generate new knowledge and inform best practice. He was the first respiratory therapist to receive a full professorship at an American medical school as professor of anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School; he mentored countless physicians, fellows and respiratory therapists; and was the principal investigator on innumerable clinical trials and research studies. He was the recipient of numerous awards and just recently was awarded a Lifetime Membership to the American Association for Respiratory Care, Lifetime Achievement Award from the California State Society of Respiratory Care, as well as a statute from the California Senate. We extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Kacmarek’s family and loved ones.
Carl E. Rosow, MD, PhD
Carl E. Rosow, MD, PhD, 74, passed away on January 22, 2021. As an esteemed member of the department and institution, he will be greatly missed. His contributions to clinical care, teaching, mentorship and clinical research were significant and will remain etched in the history books of the department and anesthesia specialty.
Dr. Rosow graduated from Boston University School of Medicine in 1973 and then completed his residency at Mass General, where he remained as faculty, rising to the academic rank of professor of anesthesia at Harvard Medical School. He was an international expert on the pharmacology of opiates and applied this knowledge to teaching and training a generation of physicians, many of whom are leaders in the specialty today. He co-chaired departmental promotions committee for many years and helped countless anesthesiologists with advancement and recognition.
On behalf of the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine and Mass General, we extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Rosow's wife, Anna Laura, his two children Laura and David, his extended family and friends.
John F. Ryan, MD
John F. Ryan, MD, 84, passed away on January 2, 2020. Dr. Ryan was an esteemed member of the community and will be long remembered for his excellence in clinical care, his significant research contributions to the field of pediatric anesthesia, his dedication to teaching and mentorship, and his genuine devotion to the department.
Dr. Ryan, a world-renowned pediatric anesthesiologist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, first came to Mass General with Dr. Richard Kitz from Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and helped to build the pediatric anesthesia team in the department. He served as chief of pediatric anesthesiology at Mass General for over 30 years, and was also a clinical researcher with a defining interest in malignant hyperthermia, the characterization of which he spearheaded in its early discovery. Amongst all of his accomplishments, he recognized this, as well as caring for patients with the condition, as one of his most significant contributions to the field.
In 1986, he co-authored “A Practice of Anesthesia for Infants and Children,” which was the first authoritative textbook in pediatric anesthesia written by Mass General anesthesiologists. It remains highly influential in the field today. In 1997, Dr. Ryan was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from The American Society of Pediatrics. In the year 2000, he earned his Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and dedicated himself to strengthening the resident education program at Harvard Medical School and Mass General. Dr. Ryan was an American Board of Anesthesiology examiner for 25 years and organized the department’s practice oral exam sessions.
We extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Ryan’s family and friends.
Richard J. Kitz, MD
Richard J. Kitz, MD, led the Mass General Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine from 1969 to 1994. He passed away on September 19, 2017 at the age of 88. An innovative, thoughtful and highly effective administrator, Dr. Kitz pushed the boundaries of the discipline of anesthesia, understanding the value of integrating technology and expertise of other fields and improving the quality care for patients.
Dr. Kitz recruited a significant portion of the next generation of leaders in anesthesia and intensive care medicine to Mass General. Many became chairs of more than 20 major anesthesia departments in the United States and abroad. A beloved colleague, friend and mentor, Dr. Kitz was known for his warmth and loyalty toward the staff and especially residents, who he always considered part of his extended family.
His contributions to Mass General include:
- The first respiratory intensive unit in the nation, established in 1961 under Henning Pontoppidan, MD
- Building vital areas, including a blood-gas laboratory, led by Myron B. Laver, MD
- A pediatric anesthesia team under John Ryan, MD
- The first U.S. cardiac anesthesia team under Dr. Laver, followed by Edward Lowenstein, MD
He was the author and co-author of over 100 publications. Dr. Kitz and his team were at the leading edge of a transformational time in anesthesia safety, re-defining the clinical practice nationally in a way that has saved thousands of lives. He also loved sailboat racing and won many races.
On behalf of a grateful hospital that is so much richer for Dr. Kitz’s many contributions and leadership, we extend heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. A memorial service is being planned for a later date.
Watch a video highlighting Dr. Kitz through the years
Henning Pontoppidan, MD
Henning Pontoppidan, MD, was a pioneer in the field of pulmonary intensive care and anesthesia. He passed away on October 20, 2017 at the age of 92. In 1961, he established the first intensive care unit in the country at Mass General. The Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) became a model for hospitals throughout the world.
Colleagues remember Dr. Pontoppidan warmly for his extraordinary intuition, wisdom and great kindness. He spent long hours with residents, fellows, medical students, nurses and respiratory therapists selflessly imparting his wisdom to the next generation of intensivists. Dr. Pontoppidan had an enormous influence on intensive care worldwide through his personal and professional relationships and his publications.
In 1988, Dr. Pontoppidan became the first Reginald Jenney Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School and Mass General, a chair endowed by one of his grateful patients. In 2011, on the hospital’s bicentennial, Dr. Pontoppidan’s accomplishments were recognized with the establishment of the Henning Pontoppidan Visiting Professorship.
His contributions to Mass General include:
- In 1958 after his Army service, he joined Mass General and applied his expertise to surgical patients with respiratory failure
- Established the six-bed RICI in Philips House 2 with specialized equipment and excellent physician and nursing staff
When not at Mass General, Dr. Pontoppidan enjoyed spending time with his artist wife, Yonna, and his family on Cliff Island, Maine, where he taught himself sailing and carpentry. Dr. Pontoppidan is survived by three daughters and two granddaughters. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.
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