Honoring a Legacy of Excellence: Professor André Van Zundert, Carl Koller Award Laureate 2025

Few names in anesthesiology carry the gravitas and resonance of Professor André Van Zundert. Known for his pioneering work in airway management, regional anesthesia, and education, he has consistently blended scientific rigor with an unwavering commitment to patient care and safety. His influence stretches across research, clinical guidelines, teaching, and mentorship, shaping not only practice but also generations of physicians.

In 2025, this legacy is formally recognized with the Carl Koller Award, the most prestigious honor that ESRA can bestow, named after the pioneer of local anesthesia himself. Awarded to those who fundamentally advance the art and science of Regional Anesthesia, this recognition is a testimony to Professor Van Zundert’s enduring contributions, wisdom, and vision.

We begin by delving into the professional journey of Professor Van Zundert, exploring the meaning of the Carl Koller Award, the milestones that marked his path, and his reflections on the state and future of our field.                                  

Q1. Receiving the Carl Koller Award, the highest distinction of ESRA, is a rare honour. What does this award mean to you personally and professionally?

Receiving the Carl Koller Gold Medal is both a deeply humbling and profoundly meaningful moment in my professional life. Personally, it represents the culmination of a lifelong commitment to advancing patient care, education, and innovation in regional anaesthesia. Professionally, it signifies recognition by my peers and by ESRA—the society that has shaped much of my academic and clinical journey. This award not only honours past achievements but also reaffirms my dedication to mentoring the next generation and continuing to strengthen the field of regional anaesthesia and pain therapy worldwide.

Q2. Looking back on your career, which milestones or contributions do you believe most shaped the trajectory of regional anaesthesia and your own path toward this recognition?

Several milestones have profoundly influenced both my career and the evolution of regional anaesthesia. Founding the European Diploma in Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (EDRA) helped establish international educational standards and fostered a global community of excellence. Scientifically, the development of the combined spinal–epidural technique and the introduction of segmental thoracic spinal anaesthesia reshaped clinical practice and patient safety worldwide. My work in advancing ultrasound guidance and creating anatomical teaching resources has further transformed how regional anaesthesia is taught and performed. Together, these achievements reflect a lifelong pursuit of safer, evidence-based, and more accessible regional anaesthesia for patients everywhere.

Q3. You have trained, mentored, and inspired countless colleagues across the world. What message would you like to leave for the younger generation of anesthesiologists stepping into the field today?

To the next generation, I would say: remain curious, compassionate, and committed to excellence. Regional anaesthesia is not only a science but also an art that demands precision, empathy, and lifelong learning. Embrace innovation and technology but never lose sight of the patient at the centre of your practice. Seek mentors, share knowledge generously, and work collaboratively across borders. The future of our speciality rests in your hands—advance it with integrity, curiosity, and a steadfast dedication to improving patient care.

Q4. Regional anaesthesia has undergone transformative changes over the decades – ultrasound guidance, new drugs, and new techniques. Where do you see the greatest opportunities for innovation in the coming years?

The future of regional anaesthesia lies in precision, personalisation, and integration. Advances in artificial intelligence, imaging, and data analytics will refine needle guidance, improve block success rates, and enhance patient safety. Novel long-acting, non-toxic local anaesthetics and drug-delivery systems will further expand the boundaries of perioperative and chronic pain management. Equally important will be innovation in education—using simulation, virtual reality, and global digital platforms to ensure equitable access to training worldwide. The coming years hold extraordinary promise for making regional anaesthesia safer, smarter, and more patient-centred than ever before.

Q5. Beyond the clinical and academic achievements, ESRA is also a community, a family of professionals bound by shared purpose. How has ESRA shaped your personal and professional life?

ESRA has been much more than a professional society to me—it has been a family, a source of inspiration, and a platform for lifelong collaboration and friendship. Through ESRA, I have had the privilege to work alongside visionary colleagues who share a common goal: advancing regional anaesthesia and improving patient care. My years as ESRA Secretary-General and President, and founder of the EDRA program, were profoundly formative, allowing me to contribute to the society’s growth while learning from the collective wisdom of its members. ESRA has shaped not only my professional journey but also my identity as a clinician, teacher, and mentor. Its spirit of collegiality and excellence continues to guide everything I do.

To bring our readers closer to the person behind the professional achievements, we close with a few short and lighthearted questions. After all, even the most distinguished professors are also people with quirks, tastes, and joys that make them unique.

Q6. If you were not an anesthesiologist, what career would you have pursued?

I have always loved anaesthesia—both general and regional—and if given the chance, I would choose this profession again without hesitation. It combines science, precision, and the privilege of caring for people at their most vulnerable moments. Yet, outside medicine, I have long been fascinated by architecture and orchestral conducting—both disciplines that, like anaesthesia, demand structure, creativity, and harmony. Whether designing a building, leading an orchestra, or guiding a patient safely through surgery, the underlying principles are the same: vision, teamwork, and balance.

Q7. A book or piece of music that has stayed with you throughout your life?

Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B♭ minor, Op. 23 has always inspired me with its emotional depth, precision, and sweeping harmony—a reminder of how discipline and passion can coexist to create something timeless. Similarly, The Private Life of Chairman Mao by Dr Li Zhisui (Mao’s personal physician) left a lasting impression on me for its courage, honesty, and insight into human nature and leadership. Both works, in their own way, reflect themes that resonate deeply with medicine: structure balanced by emotion, and the enduring search for truth and understanding.

Q8. If you could share a long dinner conversation with any historical figure (medical or non-medical), who would it be and why?

I would choose Professor August Bier, the pioneering German surgeon whose innovations transformed the practice of anaesthesia. His introduction of spinal and intravenous regional anaesthesia laid the foundations for much of what we do today. I had the privilege of meeting his daughter at the Centennial Meeting of Spinal Anaesthesia in Kiel in 1998—a moment that made his legacy feel remarkably close and personal. I believe August Bier must have been a fascinating and visionary physician, driven by curiosity, courage, and an unshakable belief in the power of innovation to improve patient care. A conversation with him would be both humbling and inspiring.

Q9. What is the most surprising or unexpected hobby or pastime that colleagues might not know about you?

Many may be surprised to learn that I greatly enjoy popular and light classical music and love attending musicals. Music has always been a source of energy and joy in my life—it offers a different kind of rhythm from the operating theatre. My wife recently surprised me with tickets to the Lady Gaga concert in Brisbane this December, and I’m very much looking forward to it! It’s a reminder that creativity, whether in music or medicine, connects us all in unexpected and uplifting ways.

Q10. In just three words, how would your closest friends describe you?

Caring, curious, and community-minded. Beyond my professional life, I dedicate time on Sundays to helping the homeless in Brisbane, which reflects a commitment to service and compassion that my friends would recognise as central to who I am.

Thank you.

Prof. André Van Zundert