Correspondence, Owen Wangensteen to Richard Varco regarding the first successful repair of an atrial septal defect and funding for more heart research
Dublin Core
Title
Correspondence, Owen Wangensteen to Richard Varco regarding the first successful repair of an atrial septal defect and funding for more heart research
Subject
Open Heart Surgery
Description
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 using induced hypothermia and inflow occlusion.
Creator
Owen Wangensteen
Source
"Surgery staff correspondence, 1952-1953," Box 31, Department of Surgery records, uarc1007, University of Minnesota Archives
Publisher
University of Minnesota
Date
10-Sep-52
Contributor
Richard Varco
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
oh0325
Coverage
Open Heart Surgery
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen September 10, 1952
Dr. Richard L. Varco
University Hospitals
University of Minnesota
My dear Dick:
I had the pleasure of sitting beside Dr. Irvine McQuarrie at
dinner last night. Amongst other things, we discussed the fine pro-
gress of work in the Heart Hospital, and particularly the recent
success of Doctor Lewis in repairing an interatrial septal defect
employing a combination of refrigeration and occlusion of the venae
cavae.
I happen to be a member of the Surgery Study Section Committee
of the USPHS. Our Committee meets presently to adjudicate research
grants. There are a large number in the cardiovascular area of
research, as one reasonably might expect. In the repair of intra-
cardiac defects alone, there are probably ten projects to be reviewed.
Amongst these is one from Doctor Lewis. I have the impression that,
it would help Doctor Lewis' case very much indeed, if presently he
could have the opportunity to operate upon another patient or two.
It would appear that, his long work with refrigeration technique in
the experimental laboratory has paid off.
Anything that you can do at this juncture to give impetus to
the work of Doctor Lewis would, in a sense, give a forward thrust to
the whole project of cardiac surgery here all along the line. For
such an opportunity now would, I am certain, increase Doctor Lewis'
chances materially of receiving favored consideration for his
application.
Sincerely,
OHW/ab
cc: Dr. Irvine McQuarrie
Dr. F. John Lewis
Dr. Forrest Adams
[Signature: Paul]
Dr. Richard L. Varco
University Hospitals
University of Minnesota
My dear Dick:
I had the pleasure of sitting beside Dr. Irvine McQuarrie at
dinner last night. Amongst other things, we discussed the fine pro-
gress of work in the Heart Hospital, and particularly the recent
success of Doctor Lewis in repairing an interatrial septal defect
employing a combination of refrigeration and occlusion of the venae
cavae.
I happen to be a member of the Surgery Study Section Committee
of the USPHS. Our Committee meets presently to adjudicate research
grants. There are a large number in the cardiovascular area of
research, as one reasonably might expect. In the repair of intra-
cardiac defects alone, there are probably ten projects to be reviewed.
Amongst these is one from Doctor Lewis. I have the impression that,
it would help Doctor Lewis' case very much indeed, if presently he
could have the opportunity to operate upon another patient or two.
It would appear that, his long work with refrigeration technique in
the experimental laboratory has paid off.
Anything that you can do at this juncture to give impetus to
the work of Doctor Lewis would, in a sense, give a forward thrust to
the whole project of cardiac surgery here all along the line. For
such an opportunity now would, I am certain, increase Doctor Lewis'
chances materially of receiving favored consideration for his
application.
Sincerely,
OHW/ab
cc: Dr. Irvine McQuarrie
Dr. F. John Lewis
Dr. Forrest Adams
[Signature: Paul]
Original Format
Paper
Citation
Owen Wangensteen, “Correspondence, Owen Wangensteen to Richard Varco regarding the first successful repair of an atrial septal defect and funding for more heart research,” Gallery, accessed November 8, 2026, https://gallerytemp.reclaim.hosting/items/show/3215.