Correspondence, C. Walton Lillehei to Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc., specifications for pump unit
Dublin Core
Title
Correspondence, C. Walton Lillehei to Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc., specifications for pump unit
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
C. Walton Lillehei
Source
"Sigmamotor, 1953-1964," Box 98, C. Walton Lillehei papers, uarc2000-7, University of Minnesota Archives
Publisher
University of Minnesota
Date
27-Nov-53
Contributor
Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc.
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
oh0246
Coverage
Open Heart Surgery
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
November 27, 1953
Mr. Van G. Hungerford
Sigmamotor, Inc.
3 North Main Street
Middleport, New York
Dear Mr. Hungerford:
Your ideas contained in your letter of November 11, 1953 appeal
to me, and both I and Doctor Cohen should like to take advantage of your
offer to work with us.
Could you then assemble for us a pumping unit with the following
specifications:
1. An over-running clutch to disconnect both motor and speed
changer from the pump with the introduction of a means for
hand operation of the pump should that become necessary.
2. A better and more expensive speed changer as you suggested.
3. Explosion proof 1/4 H. P. motor.
If the above can be carried out, I would certainly appreciate
hearing from you as soon as possible as to the approximate cost of such
a unit. I shall then send you an immediate authorization to proceed with
the work so that we may obtain this unit as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
C. Walton Lillehei, M.D.
Associate Professor
CWL:alb
Blind copy to Dr. Morley Cohen
Mr. Van G. Hungerford
Sigmamotor, Inc.
3 North Main Street
Middleport, New York
Dear Mr. Hungerford:
Your ideas contained in your letter of November 11, 1953 appeal
to me, and both I and Doctor Cohen should like to take advantage of your
offer to work with us.
Could you then assemble for us a pumping unit with the following
specifications:
1. An over-running clutch to disconnect both motor and speed
changer from the pump with the introduction of a means for
hand operation of the pump should that become necessary.
2. A better and more expensive speed changer as you suggested.
3. Explosion proof 1/4 H. P. motor.
If the above can be carried out, I would certainly appreciate
hearing from you as soon as possible as to the approximate cost of such
a unit. I shall then send you an immediate authorization to proceed with
the work so that we may obtain this unit as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
C. Walton Lillehei, M.D.
Associate Professor
CWL:alb
Blind copy to Dr. Morley Cohen
Original Format
Paper
Citation
C. Walton Lillehei, “Correspondence, C. Walton Lillehei to Van G. Hungerford, Sigmamotor, Inc., specifications for pump unit,” Gallery, accessed November 8, 2026, https://gallerytemp.reclaim.hosting/items/show/3231.