Browse Items (230 total)

William T. Harris, Jr. (1911-1984) was the director of the University News Service (1946-1962) and assistant director of University Relations (1962-1971) at the University of Minnesota.

F. John Lewis (1916-1993) was an Instructor (1950), Assistant Professor (1951), Clinical Associate Professor (1952-1953), and Associate Professor of surgery (1954-1956) at the University of Minnesota. He went on to become the first full-time member…

The azygos vein is a blood vessel that carries a small amount of deoxygenated blood from the body into the right side of the heart. The vein acts as an alternative path for blood flow when the main blood vessel carriers, the superior and inferior…

By 1958, Medtronic, Inc. manufactured a commercial model of the 1957 prototype devised by Earl Bakken for C. Walton Lillehei at the University of Minnesota. The "5800" came with a cloth strap and pouch for patients to wear with ease.

Dr. C. Walton Lillehei and his team performing open-heart surgery while using the bubble oxygenator invented by Richard A. DeWall

The discovery of methods for open heart surgery would not have been possible without first performing research with canines in the laboratory.

In 1961, Nazih Zuhdi, a medical fellow in surgery at the University of Minnesota from 1956-1957, introduced hemodilution to open heart surgery. By diluting the blood by priming the pump-oxygenator apparatus with a 5% dextrose water solution, it…

The prototype transistorized battery-operated pacemaker was invented by Earl Bakken in 1957.

In 1955, surgeons at the University of Minnesota operated on 5 patients for open heart surgery using the method of continuous arterial perfusion.

Research showed that when deoxygenated (venous blood) was warmed at 45 degrees Celcius for 15…

Electrical engineer Robert Kaster, (U of M 1951) collaborated with C. Walton Lillehei to invent a prosthetic heart valve named the Lillehei-Kaster Pivoting Disc Valve. The device was first successfully implanted in 1967. The valves were produced…

The exhibit, "Methods for Direct Vision Intracardiac Surgery," was displayed at the American Medical Association Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1955. William M. Holmes of the University of Minnesota Department of Medical Illustration…

The exhibit, "Methods for Direct Vision Intracardiac Surgery," was displayed at the American Medical Association Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1955. William M. Holmes of the University of Minnesota Department of Medical Illustration…

The exhibit, "Methods for Direct Vision Intracardiac Surgery," was displayed at the American Medical Association Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1955. William M. Holmes of the University of Minnesota Department of Medical Illustration…

The exhibit, "Methods for Direct Vision Intracardiac Surgery," was displayed at the American Medical Association Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1955. William M. Holmes of the University of Minnesota Department of Medical Illustration…

Earl Bakken, founder of Medtronic, invented the transistorized battery-powered pacemaker in 1957. The pacemaker was used by Dr. C. Walton Lillehei to treat patients who developed post-operative heart block following a corrective open heart…

The exhibit, "Methods for Direct Vision Intracardiac Surgery," was displayed at the American Medical Association Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1955. William M. Holmes of the University of Minnesota Department of Medical Illustration…

Dr. Gilbert S. Campbell, along with medical fellow Norman Crisp, developed the method of biological oxygenation using a dog lung for cardiopulmonary by-pass in 1955. The method was used on 15 patients.

In 1955, Norman Crisp collaborated with Dr. Gilbert S. Campbell on research with biological oxygenation using an excised dog lung as an oxygenator during cardiopulmonary by-pass. The method was used on 15 patients.

Dr. Clarence Dennis (1909-2005), graduate of the University of Minnesota (M.S. 1938, Ph.D. 1940), was a Teaching Fellow (1936-1937) and Research Assistant (1937-1938) in the Department of Surgery, Instructor in the Department of Physiology…

Dr. Morley Cohen (1923-2005) was a Medical Fellow (1951-1953), Research Assistant (1953-1954), and Clinical Instructor (1955) in the Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota. He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy of Surgery from the…

Ivan D. Baronofsky was a Medical Intern (1943), Medical Fellow and Research Assistant (1944-1947), Instructor (1948), Assistant Professor (1949), and Associate Professor of Surgery (1950-1956) at the University of Minnesota. He obtained a Doctor of…

Owen H. Wangensteen (1898-1981) was the chief of the Department of Surgery in the Medical School at the University of Minnesota from 1930-1967.

Owen H. Wangensteen (1898-1981) was the chief of the Department of Surgery in the Medical School at the University of Minnesota from 1930-1967.

Ivan D. Baronofsky, Assistant Professor of Surgery, applied for funding from the U.S. Public Health Service to support his research on the repair of congenital heart defects. A report of his methods and description of his experiments are included…

Richard L. Varco, associate professor of surgery, requested funding from the Graduate School to support his research on coronary insufficiency.

At the request of the Chair of the Department of Surgery, Owen Wangensteen, William T. Harris, Jr. of the University News Service organized a press conference at the auditorium of the Variety Heart Club Hospital on Friday, April 30, 1954 to report…

Pictured in front from left to right are Chief Barker of the Variety Club of the Northwest, Arthur Anderson

On Wednesday, November 24, 1948, ground was broken to build the Variety Club Heart Hospital, the first hospital in the nation dedicated to treating diseases of the heart. The hospital, which included 40 beds for children, 38 beds for adults, a…

The Variety Club of the Northwest, a charitable organization comprised of members of the entertainment industry, presented University President James L. Morrill with a $250,000 check, along with a pledge of $25,000 in annual support to build and…

Drs using Heart Lung Machine at Mayo

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At the request of the Chair of the Department of Surgery, Owen Wangensteen, William T. Harris, Jr. of the University News Service organized a press conference at the auditorium of the Variety Heart Club Hospital on Friday, April 30, 1954 to report…

The DeWall Bubble Oxygenator, or heart-lung machine, was first used clinically in 1955 in order to by-pass the heart and lungs during open heart surgery to create a bloodless field for surgeons to operate on congenital defects within the heart.

The Heart Lung Machine Used in 175 Patients for Open Heart Surgery

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Heart surgery diagram of blood bypass and pump

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Cross circulation surgery - Dr. C. W. Lillehei (right center) performing open heart surgery with large operating team
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The exhibit, "Methods for Direct Vision Intracardiac Surgery," was displayed at the American Medical Association Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1955. William M. Holmes of the University of Minnesota Department of Medical Illustration…

Dr. Richard Lynn Varco (1912-2004), a University of Minnesota graduate (M.B. 1937, M.D. 1937, Ph.D. 1944), was a Medical Fellow and Research Assistant in the Department of Surgery (1938-1940), Fellow and Instructor in the Department of Physiology…

C. Walton Lillehei second from left.

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Following the public announcement of the method of controlled cross circulation for open heart surgery on April 30, 1954, Cosmopolitan magazine wrote a feature article that featured Pamela Schmidt, the cured patient introduced at the press…

Dr. C. Walton Lillehei and his team performing open-heart surgery while using the Lillehei-DeWall "bubble" oxygenator. Photo taken from observation dome directly over the operating theater. Dr. L., in center bent over patient, is wearing a…

The individuals in the enclosed photograph are, from left to right, Dr. Andre Thevenet, Dr. Young Kyoon Lee (Korean), Dr. N. Gopinath (Indian), Dr. George Schimert (individual in back), Dr. Andre McClish (short fellow), and Dr. Jan Nowicki. On the…

Dr. C. Walton Lillehei seated at a desk and holding a lantern slide.

Dear Mrs. Scott,

The photograph was probably taken during the height of Dr. Lewis' and my interest in the development of low temperature techniques for working under the heart (circa 1952-3).

The apparatus is a cooling machine (under my hands)…

Dr. Richard A. DeWall, University of Minnesota surgery instructor, stands with the heart-lung machine called a "bubble oxygenator" which he developed. Used during heart surgery, the inexpensive and simple arrangement of cylinders and tubing re-routs…

This issue of the University Hospitals bulletin includes a report titled, "The Surgical Treatment of Congenital Heart Disease: An Analysis of 388 Cases," by C. Walton Lillehei, Ivan D. Baronofsky, and Richard Varco. It is an report of the types of…

F. John Lewis, Richard Varco, Mansur Taufic, and C. Walton Lillehei performed the world's first open heart surgery under direct vision in a dry operative field on September 2, 1952. The surgeons repaired an atrial septal defect on a 5-year-old girl…

F. John Lewis, Richard Varco, Mansur Taufic, and C. Walton Lillehei performed the world's first open heart surgery under direct vision in a dry operative field on September 2, 1952. The surgeons repaired an atrial septal defect on a 5-year-old girl…

F. John Lewis, Richard Varco, Mansur Taufic, and C. Walton Lillehei performed the world's first open heart surgery under direct vision in a dry operative field on September 2, 1952. The surgeons repaired an atrial septal defect on a 5-year-old girl…

While conducting experimental research on blood conduction for open heart surgery in 1953, C. Walton Lillehei collaborated with Sigmamotor, Inc. of Middleport, New York to design a pump sufficient to pump blood through plastic tubing during open…

While conducting experimental research on blood conduction for open heart surgery in 1953, C. Walton Lillehei collaborated with Sigmamotor, Inc. of Middleport, New York to design a pump sufficient to pump blood through plastic tubing during open…

While conducting experimental research on blood conduction for open heart surgery in 1953, C. Walton Lillehei collaborated with Sigmamotor, Inc. of Middleport, New York to design a pump sufficient to pump blood through plastic tubing during open…

While conducting experimental research on blood conduction for open heart surgery in 1953, C. Walton Lillehei collaborated with Sigmamotor, Inc. of Middleport, New York to design a pump sufficient to pump blood through plastic tubing during open…

While conducting experimental research on blood conduction for open heart surgery in 1953, C. Walton Lillehei collaborated with Sigmamotor, Inc. of Middleport, New York to design a pump sufficient to pump blood through plastic tubing during open…

In 1957, the Minnesota Heart Association awarded a grant to the Department of Surgery in the name of surgical resident William Weirich to continue research on the treatment of heart block and pursue the development of a transistorized…

Denton A. Cooley (1920- ) received his medical training at Johns Hopkins University where he obtained a doctor of medicine degree in 1944. While at Johns Hopkins, Cooley assisted Dr. Alfred Blalock in the first successful insertion of a…

Denton A. Cooley (1920- ) received his medical training at Johns Hopkins University where he obtained a doctor of medicine degree in 1944. While at Johns Hopkins, Cooley assisted Dr. Alfred Blalock in the first successful insertion of a…

Dr. Russell Brock (1903-1980) was a British heart surgeon and a pioneer in cardiovascular surgery who performed one of the first extracardiac operations to alleviate pulmonary stenosis in 1948.

Dr. Russell Brock (1903-1980) was a British heart surgeon and a pioneer in cardiovascular surgery who performed one of the first extracardiac operations to alleviate pulmonary stenosis in 1948.