History of John Gibbon, pioneer of extracorporeal circulation and inventor of the heart-lung machine, a decisive breakthrough in modern cardiac surgery.
History of Dr. Walt Lillehei, pioneer of open-heart surgery through cross circulation, a major milestone in the evolution of modern cardiac surgery.
Dr. F. John Lewis performed the first successful open-heart surgery in 1952 by using controlled hypothermia to repair an atrial septal defect, a major milestone in the history of cardiac surgery.
Dr. William Mustard was a Canadian pioneer in cardiac surgery. In the 1950s, he proposed a revolutionary idea: performing heart surgery without stopping bloodBlood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. White blood cells make up our immune defense system. Platelets contribute to blood circulation, using a machine and monkey lungs to oxygenate bloodBlood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. White blood cells make up our immune defense system. Platelets contribute to blood outside the body. Although the early results were tragic, his innovation paved the way for major advances in modern cardiac surgery.
While working at Roper Hospital in Charleston, Dr. Smithy developed a particular interest in aortic stenosis—a disease affecting the valve at the heart’s exit. His interest, however, was not purely academic: he himself suffered from severe narrowing of both the aortic and mitral valves.
Considered by some as a pioneer of cardiac surgery and by others as the father of open-heart surgery, Dr. Bailey had a remarkable career.
After the war, Dr. Dwight Harken turned his attention to a new medical challenge: treating mitral valve stenosis, a severe condition that restricts bloodBlood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide. White blood cells make up our immune defense system. Platelets contribute to blood flow between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart.
Dr. Elliot Cutler, an American surgeon born on July 30, 1888, was a prominent figure at Harvard University and a trailblazer in the field of cardiac surgery.
He concluded his military career with the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. Following World War I, he embarked on an ambitious mission to address mitral stenosis, a condition affecting the heart valve, through groundbreaking surgical techniques.
Ludwig Rehn, a surgeon by training, was born in Germany on April 13, 1849. Considered an innovator, he would become an important figure in the history of cardiology.
Writing about the history of cardiology is no simple task. Authors may have biases regarding certain events, described as historic by some and anecdotal by others.
This site is intended to provide information and make cardiology comprehensible for all patients; it is not a substitute for a doctor. It does, however, enable a better understanding of how the heart works, the many heart diseases that exist, the tests required to reach a diagnosis, and the drugs and other methods used to treat them.
Where the masculine is used herein, it shall be all-gender inclusive.
