Correspondence, Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc. to C. Walton Lillehei regarding use of Sigmamotor pumps in open heart research
Dublin Core
Title
Correspondence, Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc. to C. Walton Lillehei regarding use of Sigmamotor pumps in open heart research
Subject
Open Heart Surgery
Description
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 heart surgery.
A Sigmamotor pumping unit was used to pump blood for extracorporeal circulation during controlled cross circulation and bubble oxygenator procedures for open heart surgery at the University of Minnesota.
A Sigmamotor pumping unit was used to pump blood for extracorporeal circulation during controlled cross circulation and bubble oxygenator procedures for open heart surgery at the University of Minnesota.
Creator
Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc.
Source
"Sigmamotor, Inc., 1953-1964," Box 98, C. Walton Lillehei papers, uarc2000-7, University of Minnesota Archives
Publisher
University of Minnesota
Date
14-Oct-53
Contributor
C. Walton Lillehei
Rights
Use of this image is governed by U.S. and international copyright laws. Image is property of the University of Minnesota. Please contact the University of Minnesota Archives for permission to publish this image. https://special.lib.umn.edu/uarch
Format
Document
Language
eng
Identifier
oh0248
Coverage
Open Heart Surgery
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
SIGMAMOTOR PUMPS
SIGMAMOTOR
INC.
3 NORTH MAIN ST. MIDDLEPORT, N. Y.
PHONE 6-3511
October 14, 1953
University of Minnesota
The Medical School
Minneapolis 14, Minnesota
Attention: Dr. C. Walton Lillehei
Gentlemen:
We have read with interest, newspaper accounts of
your low cost artificial heart and although our pump
was not mentioned as such, we judge from the description
of its operation that one of our units was used.
We would be very interested in helping in any way
we can, the development of this application for our
units. I would think the substitution of an explosion
proof motor would be a necessary safety feature. We
can furnish units identical to yours but with an ex-
plosion proof motor for $225.00.
Our larger units are also being used on some of
the bigger heart and lung machines and apparently
will prove to be a valuable addition to the larger
units.
I would be pleased to have any comments you might
care to make on the operation of the pump from your
point of view.
Very truly yours,
SIGMAMOTOR, INC.
Van G. Hungerford
Van G. Hungerford
VGH/p
SIGMAMOTOR
INC.
3 NORTH MAIN ST. MIDDLEPORT, N. Y.
PHONE 6-3511
October 14, 1953
University of Minnesota
The Medical School
Minneapolis 14, Minnesota
Attention: Dr. C. Walton Lillehei
Gentlemen:
We have read with interest, newspaper accounts of
your low cost artificial heart and although our pump
was not mentioned as such, we judge from the description
of its operation that one of our units was used.
We would be very interested in helping in any way
we can, the development of this application for our
units. I would think the substitution of an explosion
proof motor would be a necessary safety feature. We
can furnish units identical to yours but with an ex-
plosion proof motor for $225.00.
Our larger units are also being used on some of
the bigger heart and lung machines and apparently
will prove to be a valuable addition to the larger
units.
I would be pleased to have any comments you might
care to make on the operation of the pump from your
point of view.
Very truly yours,
SIGMAMOTOR, INC.
Van G. Hungerford
Van G. Hungerford
VGH/p
Original Format
Paper
Citation
Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc., “Correspondence, Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc. to C. Walton Lillehei regarding use of Sigmamotor pumps in open heart research,” Gallery, accessed November 8, 2026, https://gallerytemp.reclaim.hosting/items/show/3229.