Mattias Günther

About me

Anesthesiologist and Intensive Care physician at Södersjukhuset (Stockholm South General Hospital), and translational researcher in Experimental Traumatology.

• 2022 Section Editor for Disaster and Military Surgery, European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. Academic Editor, PLOS ONE Editorial Board.
• 2021 Associate Professor in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care
• 2021 Section Director of the Experimental Traumatology laboratory. 
• 2019 Diplomate of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Brussels
• 2017 Specialist in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare
• 2015 PhD in Experimental Neurotrauma, Karolinska Institutet
• 2008 Licence to Practise, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare
• 2006 University Medical Degree, Uppsala University

Research description

My research focus is experimental traumatology, which includes aspects of trauma pathology, prehospital and intra-hospital treatment and military medicine. I investigate how to stop catastrophic bleedings, which may occur as a consequence of physical trauma. Examples are car accidents, blast trauma and injuries from military conflicts. A severe bleeding may lead to death within minutes if not stopped. Improved methods of bleeding control and patient stabilization are fundamental for successful medevacs and transport to definite surgical care, which ultimately will improve survival, both in civilian and military settings. I investigate mechanical traumatic bleeding control methods, including Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) and aortic tourniquets (AAJT). I study the pathology of Trauma Induced Coagulopathy (TIC). I investigate airway management, including Pre-Hospital Advanced Airway Management (PHAAM) and various techniques of surgical airways. A severely injured patient requires a secured airway to ensure enough oxygen to be delivered to the brain and internal organs for survival. However, securing an airway often requires intubation and mechanical ventilation, interventions which may cause harm or death by further deteriorating a low blood pressure. I believe that new methods of airway management could improve survival in certain severe trauma bleedings. I investigate whether permissive hypoventilation could replace current treatment algorithms of securing the airway and allow for a focus on blood transfusion and circulatory management in severe trauma.  

Teaching portfolio

• Principal supervisor
  • Doctoral student Albin Dahlquist, MD (traumatic bleeding)
  • Doctoral student Tomas Karlsson, MD (PHAAM)
  • Doctoral student Zabih Ullah Aurfan, (TBI)
• Co-supervisor
  • Doctoral student Frode Gottschalk, MD (decompression illness)