May 12, 2017

The OHSU School of Medicine and the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine announce with great sadness that Per Thorborg, M.D., Ph.D., F.C.C.M., professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine, OHSU School of Medicine, died April 22. Dr. Thorborg, an anesthesiologist-intensivist, shared his time between the OHSU operating rooms and the V.A. Portland Health Care System intensive care unit, caring for perioperative patients often with challenging medical conditions. From 2005 to 2010, he served as director of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine.

"In each of his departmental roles, Per always impressed me with his incredible intelligence, his talent as a clinician and his voice of reason. As our trainees will attest, Per was a passionate and incredibly effective teacher," said Jeffrey Kirsch, M.D., professor and chair of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine, OHSU School of Medicine. "He often would present me with a stack of articles as he was advocating for a change in practice. I will personally miss these regular, respectful challenges that represented his intent to make sure we provide patients with the most recently available evidence-based care."

Dr. Thorborg's research in physiology (microcirculation), with particular interest in the perioperative period, was the basis of his clinical work and his teaching of residents and fellows. Dr. Thorborg published widely and was a frequent speaker and moderator at national and international meetings. He was a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Society of Critical Care Medicine and the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists.

Dr. Thorborg earned his medical degree in 1978 and his Ph.D. in 1989 from The Health University, Linkoping, Sweden. He was multilingual in English, French, German and Swedish.

The Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine held a remembrance event May 11. Donations in Dr. Thorborg's memory may be made online to the OHSU Foundation, in support of the Anesthesiology Research and Education Support Fund.