Category: History of cardiology

Coronary angiography uses contrast dye and X-rays to visualize the heart’s arteries and detect blockages. Introduced in the late 1950s, it transformed the diagnosis of coronary arteryThe two coronary arteries, the right and the left, form the blood network that supplies the heart with oxygen and nutrients. They are located directly on the surface of the heart and branch into smaller vessels that disease.

The discovery of cardiac catheterization, born from an unusual and daring event, represents a major milestone in cardiology. This breakthrough transformed the way heart diseases are diagnosed and understood.

Cardiac defibrillation — from Claude Beck’s manual heart massage in 1947 to today’s portable defibrillators — represents one of the greatest breakthroughs in emergency medicine.
In less than half a century, these discoveries have turned a once-fatal arrhythmia into a condition that can often be reversed, saving thousands of lives every year.

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.