Correspondence, Richard L. Varco to Owen H. Wangensteen, report of research in progress
Dublin Core
Title
Correspondence, Richard L. Varco to Owen H. Wangensteen, report of research in progress
Subject
Open Heart Surgery
Description
In a memorandum sent to all division and department heads on February 3, 1953, Robert B. Howard, Director of Post-Graduate Studies in the Medical School, requested a report "about the various research projects currently being carried out in the Medical School and University Hospitals."
Owen H. Wangensteen, Chief of the Department of Surgery, then followed up with his surgical staff on February 5, 1953, "May I have a brief memorandum from you concerning any researches which you may be prosecuting?"
Richard L. Varcoprovided Wangensteen with a list that outlined all major research underway in his laboratory by February of 1953.
Owen H. Wangensteen, Chief of the Department of Surgery, then followed up with his surgical staff on February 5, 1953, "May I have a brief memorandum from you concerning any researches which you may be prosecuting?"
Richard L. Varcoprovided Wangensteen with a list that outlined all major research underway in his laboratory by February of 1953.
Creator
Richard Varco
Source
"Staff research in progress, 1949-1953," Box 30, Folder 945, Department of Surgery records, uarc1007, University of Minnesota Archives
Publisher
University of Minnesota
Date
17-Feb-53
Contributor
University of Minnesota
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
oh0099
Coverage
Open Heart Surgery
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
THE MEDICAL SCHOOL
MINNEAPOLIS 14
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
February 17, 1953
Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen
Surgery Office
University Hospital
Dear Doctor Wangensteen:
Projects currently being worked upon include:
Mass spectrometer project. This has several areas of research. The group
has recently completed studies on hypotension under cyclopropane and
under other anesthesia as related to carbon dioxide retention. They are
currently examining the effect of position on carbon dioxide accumulation.
A study of the blood and respiratory chemical changes taking place in cer-
tain bulbar polio patients has been worked upon by the group.
In the cardiovascular field the basic problems are:
A. The development of techniques capable of producing pulmonary hyper-
tension; the pathological changes developing in dogs with pulmonary
hypertension; the reversibility of this physiological and pathological
situation; methods capable of preventing the development in animals
otherwise prone to acquire pulmonary hypertension as a consequence of the
experimental setup.
B. The development of relatively uncomplicated techniques permitting intra-
cardiac surgery for periods up to 30 minutes.
C. The development of operative approaches to intracardiac surgery, toler-
ance for the incisions by the heart, the healing characteristics of
such openings.
D. Long-term study of autogenous venous and pericardial grafts.
E. Several clinical problems of a cardiovascular nature are under study
(i.e. surgical management of complete arterial transposition, the
late results of valvulotomy for pulmonary valvular stenosis, surgical
approaches to interventricular septal defects).
These projects are being supported by Graduate School grant, Minnesota Heart Assoc-
iation grant, Richard L. Varco Fund for Surgical Research, grant from the U.S. Public
Health Service, U.S. Public Health Service Research on Dioxide Concentration.
Sincerely,
Richard L. Varco, M.D.
RLV/jw
THE MEDICAL SCHOOL
MINNEAPOLIS 14
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
February 17, 1953
Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen
Surgery Office
University Hospital
Dear Doctor Wangensteen:
Projects currently being worked upon include:
Mass spectrometer project. This has several areas of research. The group
has recently completed studies on hypotension under cyclopropane and
under other anesthesia as related to carbon dioxide retention. They are
currently examining the effect of position on carbon dioxide accumulation.
A study of the blood and respiratory chemical changes taking place in cer-
tain bulbar polio patients has been worked upon by the group.
In the cardiovascular field the basic problems are:
A. The development of techniques capable of producing pulmonary hyper-
tension; the pathological changes developing in dogs with pulmonary
hypertension; the reversibility of this physiological and pathological
situation; methods capable of preventing the development in animals
otherwise prone to acquire pulmonary hypertension as a consequence of the
experimental setup.
B. The development of relatively uncomplicated techniques permitting intra-
cardiac surgery for periods up to 30 minutes.
C. The development of operative approaches to intracardiac surgery, toler-
ance for the incisions by the heart, the healing characteristics of
such openings.
D. Long-term study of autogenous venous and pericardial grafts.
E. Several clinical problems of a cardiovascular nature are under study
(i.e. surgical management of complete arterial transposition, the
late results of valvulotomy for pulmonary valvular stenosis, surgical
approaches to interventricular septal defects).
These projects are being supported by Graduate School grant, Minnesota Heart Assoc-
iation grant, Richard L. Varco Fund for Surgical Research, grant from the U.S. Public
Health Service, U.S. Public Health Service Research on Dioxide Concentration.
Sincerely,
Richard L. Varco, M.D.
RLV/jw
Original Format
Paper
Citation
Richard Varco, “Correspondence, Richard L. Varco to Owen H. Wangensteen, report of research in progress,” Gallery, accessed November 8, 2026, https://gallerytemp.reclaim.hosting/items/show/3334.