Phulchand Prithvi Raj

Phulchand Prithvi Raj Borundia was born September 13, 1931, in Bagri Sajjanpur, a small village approximately 100 miles west of Jaipur, Jaipur State, princely state of British India from 1128 to 1948, now the state of Rajasthan, India. His parents were Badani Bai (mother) and Phool Chandji Borundia (father).

During the pursuit of orthopedic surgery training, he met and married his Susan Martin, who was training as a nurse, in Darlington in 1963. She also became his working partner professionally. They had 3 children together named Mark, Maya, and Sarah. He had 7 grandchildren named Saijal, Cameron, Devi, Christopher, Brevin, Colin, and Enzo. After retirement in 2003, he and his wife lived in Cincinnati, Ohio.{{cite journal|last1=Manchikanti|first1=Laxmaiah|title=In Memoriam of an Eminent Pain Physician: Phulchand Prithvi Raj|journal=Pain Physician|date=2016|volume=19|issue=4|page=E527|pmid=27228519}}

P. Prithvi Raj completed high school at St. Joseph's Boys' High School, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Raj graduated from Mysore Medical College. He did his residency in orthopedics.

Dr. Raj entered a rotating internship in orthopedics at [http://www.stmh.org/ St. Mary’s Hospital], Waterbury, Connecticut. He started his residency in anesthesia in 1963 at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.{{cite journal|last1=Nair|first1=L|last2=Giesecke|first2=A|last3=Raj|first3=P. Prithvi|title=FFARCS: Regional anesthesia pioneer|journal=Bulletin of Anesthesia History|date=2010|volume=28|issue=1|pages=7–11|doi=10.1016/S1522-8649(10)50003-9|pmid=22849201}} He completed his third year of residency in Norway.Interview of Dr. Raj conducted by Alon P. Winnie, MD, Chicago, May 2003

Raj was on the faculty at a number of universities in England, Norway, and throughout the United States. He was also one of the founders of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA),{{cite web|url=https://www.asra.com/about |title=Founding Fathers| publisher=American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine| accessdate=July 12, 2016}} the Texas Pain Society,{{cite journal|url=http://www.texaspain.org/|last1=Raj|first1=PP|last2=Hill|first2=CS|last3=Racz|first3=G|last4=Heavner|first4=J|last5=Grabois|first5=M|last6=Neill|first6=J|last7=Willis|first7=W|last8=Schade|first8=CM|last9=Rashbaum|first9=R|last10=Calodney|first10=A|last11=Burton|first11=AW|last12=Somerville|first12=J|title=The story of the Texas Pain Society: Formation and function of a regional pain society|journal=Pain Pract|date=2012|volume=12|issue=1|pages=57–65|doi=10.1111/j.1533-2500.2011.00472.x|pmid=21615858|s2cid=205715061|doi-access=free}} and World Institute of Pain,{{cite web|url=http://wip.agoria.co.uk/group/1671/Documents/WIPFactSheet.pdf|title=WIP Fact Sheet|publisher=World Institute of Pain | accessdate=July 12, 2016}} along with fellowship examination in interventional pain management offered across the globe.{{cite journal|last1=Ptaszynski|first1=AE|last2=Horlocker|first2=TT|last3=Bacon|first3=DR|last4=Rowlingson|first4=JC|last5=Winnie|first5=Alon|last6=Carron|first6=Harold|last7=Raj|first7=Pulchand|last8=Bridenbaugh|first8=Donald|last9=Katz| first9=Jordan| title=Founding fathers of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia|journal=Reg Anesth Pain Med| date=2006|volume=31|pages=71–78| doi=10.1097/00115550-200601000-00013}} He also founded or cofounded multiple journals including Pain Practice and Pain Digest{{cite web |url=http://www2.kenes.com/wip/scientific/Documents/Prithvi_Raj_BIO.pdf |title=Phulchand Prithvi Raj, M.D., DABPM, FIPP |publisher=Kenes |accessdate=July 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012181423/http://www2.kenes.com/wip/scientific/Documents/Prithvi_Raj_BIO.pdf |archive-date=October 12, 2016 |url-status=dead }} He was a prolific writer and historian.

Dr Raj started as a house officer in 1958 in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester, and became registrar in 1962. After achieving his residency in orthopedics, Raj decided to take his career to the United States. Raj entered a rotating internship at [http://www.stmh.org/ St. Mary’s Hospital], Waterbury, Connecticut.

Dr. Raj started his anesthesiology residency under chairman, Dr. Pepper Jenkins, in 1963 at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. He completed his third year of residency in Norway.

Dr. Raj was not only innovative and pioneering in scientific aspects, but also in promoting the specialty of regional anesthesia and interventional pain management. He was one of the 5 founders of ASRA in 1975.{{cite journal|last1=Ptaszynski|first1=AE|last2=Horlocker|first2=TT|last3=Bacon|first3=DR|last4=Rowlingson|first4=JC|last5=Winnie|first5=Alon P.|last6=Bridenbaugh|first6=L. Donald|last7=Raj|first7=P. Prithvi|last8=Katz|first8=Jordan|title=Founding fathers of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia|journal=Reg Anesth Pain Med|date=2006|volume=31|pages=71–78}} The history of the refounding of the ASRA, now known as the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA-PM), dates back to late 1973 when 5 dreamers met, now called the founding fathers of the ASRA, to form a society devoted to teach regional anesthesia. These 5 pioneers of regional anesthesia were Alon Winnie, Donald Bridenbaugh, Harold Carron, Prithvi Raj, and Jordan Katz.{{cite journal|last1=Manchikanti|first1=Laxmaiah|title=In Memoriam of an Eminent Pain Physician: Phulchand Prithvi Raj|journal=Pain Physician|date=2016|volume=19|issue=May/June|page=E521|pmid=27228519|url=http://www.painphysicianjournal.com/current/pdf?article=MjcwMQ%3D%3D&journal=96|accessdate=12 July 2016}}

During a 5-year career in Dallas, Raj has researched many areas and is published in many forms. Among them are:

• Acute epiglottis in children: a respiratory emergency{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=Acute epiglottis in children. A respiratory emergency.|journal=Br J Anaesth|date=1969|volume=41|issue=7|pages=619–627|doi=10.1093/bja/41.7.619|pmid=5798842|doi-access=free}}
• Oxidation drug metabolism in human liver microsomes{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=Oxidation drug metabolism in human liver microsomes|journal=J Pharmacol Exp Ther|date=1971|volume=178|issue=3|pages=580–588|doi=10.1016/S0022-3565(25)28990-X |pmid=4398379}}
• Techniques for fiberoptic laryngoscope in anesthesia{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=Techniques for fiberoptic laryngoscope in anesthesia|journal=Anesth Analg|date=1974|volume=53|issue=5|pages=708–714|pmid=4472341|doi=10.1213/00000539-197409000-00016|s2cid=44471964|doi-access=free}}
• The site of action of intravenous regional anesthesia{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=The site of action of intravenous regional anesthesia.|journal=Anesth Analg|date=1972|volume=51|issue=5|pages=776–786|doi=10.1213/00000539-197209000-00029|pmid=4672172|s2cid=29981870|doi-access=free}}
• The use of the nerve stimulator with standard unsheathed needles in nerve blockage{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=The use of the nerve stimulator with standard unsheathed needles in nerve blockage.|journal=Anesth Analg|date=1973|volume=52|issue=5|pages=827–831|pmid=4738206|doi=10.1213/00000539-197309000-00036|s2cid=21364165|doi-access=free}}
• Infraclavicular brachial plexus - a new approach{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=Infraclavicular brachial plexus - a new approach.|journal=Anesth Analg|date=1973|volume=52|pages=897–904|doi=10.1213/00000539-197311000-00007|s2cid=28585912}}
• A new single-position supine approach to sciatic-femoral nerve block{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=A new single-position supine approach to sciatic-femoral nerve block.|journal=Anesth Analg|date=1975|volume=54|issue=4|pages=489–493|doi=10.1213/00000539-197507000-00020|pmid=1170786|s2cid=13463030|doi-access=free}}
• Physiology and pharmacokinetics of continuous infusions{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=Physiology and pharmacokinetics of continuous infusions.|journal=Pain Digest|date=1997|volume=7|pages=51–61}}
• Experience with volumetric infusion pumps for continuous epidural analgesia{{cite journal|last1=Raj|first1=Phulchand|title=Experience with volumetric infusion pumps for continuous epidural analgesia|journal=Reg Anesth|date=1979|volume=4|pages=3–5}}

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Category:American anesthesiologists

Category:1931 births

Category:2016 deaths

Category:Indian emigrants to the United States

Category:American pain physicians