Cardiology Secrets

History of Pediatric Cardiology

• 1.

  When was the first report of a successful ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)?

The first successful ligation of a PDA was by Gross and Hubbard in 1938.

• 2.

  Who was responsible for the first successful palliation of cyanotic congenital heart disease?

Dr. Alfred Blalock (Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins), Dr. Helen Taussig (Director of the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic at Johns Hopkins), and Mr. Vivien Thomas (Research Assistant for Dr. Blalock at Johns Hopkins). Their tireless work contributed to the successful research and techniques behind the Blalock–Taussig shunt. The first successful operation occurred in November 1944.

• 3.

  When was the first neonatal heart transplant?

Christiaan Barnard performed the first cardiac transplantation in South Africa in 1967. Infant heart transplantation was attempted unsuccessfully 3 days later by Adrian Kantrowitz in New York City. Neonatal heart transplantation would not be achieved, however, until November 15, 1985, by Leonard Bailey at Loma Linda Medical Center. ^∗

∗ Neill CA, Clark EB. The developing heart: a history of pediatric cardiology. London: Kluwer Academic Associates; 1995.

^†

† Bailey LL. Origins of neonatal heart transplantation: an historical perspective. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu 2011;14(1):98–100.