Andranik Ovassapian

Andranik "Andy" Ovassapian (; January 27, 1936 – June 17, 2010) was an Iranian-Armenian and American anesthesiologist known for the development and teaching of airway management and tracheal intubation using an optical fiber endoscope. He founded the . Throughout his career, Ovassapian was a professor at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago.

Early life and education Andranik Ovassapian was born in on January 27, 1936, in Arak, Iran. He studied at the local Armenian school, then at the Araki Pahlav school. In 1961, he completed a medical degree at Shiraz University. Later that year, Ovassapian started a residency and research fellowship at the Namaz Hospital. In 1963, he started a residency and fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Career and research After completing his fellowship, Ovassapian taught at University of Pennsylvania for 18 months. In 1968, he returned to the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences as chair of the department of anesthesiology. In the 1970s, Dr. Ovassapian started using a flexible bronchoscope to facilitate the insertion of endotracheal tubes.

In 1995, Ovassapian founded the and served as the first president from 1995 to 1997 and executive director from 1998 to 2008.