Clarence Walton Lillehei, an American cardiac surgeon who was part of the team that performed the world’s first successful open-heart procedure, was a pioneer in open heart surgery. Open cardiac surgery, as prevalent as it is now, would have been unthinkable just six decades ago. Certain heart abnormalities that are now entirely curable were fatal up until the 1950s. Many formerly untreatable cardiac problems are now easily treated because to the pioneering work of Dr. Lillehei, who created medical devices that allowed the patient’s blood circulation to be supported while the heart was opened and operated on. Clarence was a bright and brilliant young kid even as a child. His original professional decision was to follow in his father’s footsteps as a dentist, but he later changed his mind and decided to become a medical doctor. He earned his medical education at the University of Minnesota and finished his residency under the supervision of Dr. Owen Wangensteen, who had previously trained a number of notable surgeons. Lillehei was on his way to becoming a renowned cardiologist when he was diagnosed with a rare malignancy with a 10% chance of survival. The heroic guy did not allow the sad news break his spirit, and he bravely battled the condition to become one of the world’s greatest cardiologists.
Childhood and Adolescence
He was born in Minnesota, the son of Clarence and Elizabeth Lillehei. His father was a dentist, and he grew up in a dental family.
He demonstrated quick intelligence and a good understanding of technology from an early age. He enjoyed dismantling and reassembling technology devices.
He intended to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a dentist when he was a young adolescent. He immediately changed his mind and enrolled at the University of Minnesota to study medicine.
He finished his surgical residency at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Surgery under Owen Wangensteen, the department’s chairman. Lillehei grew into a superb surgeon under the tutelage of Wangesteen, a skilled surgeon and mentor.
In 1951, he received his M.S. in physiology and his Ph.D. in surgery.
Career of Clarence Walton Lillehei
In 1951, he joined the surgical faculty at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where he remained until 1967.
In 1950, however, he was diagnosed with parotid gland lymphosarcoma and was given a 10% chance of life. To combat the disease, he endured major head and neck surgery as well as arduous radiation therapy. The brave doctor resumed to his medical job after recovery, despite the treatment leaving him with a lasting physical disfigurement.
Lillehei had a strong interest in cardiology and specialized in heart surgery. Cardiovascular surgery was extremely dangerous before the 1950s, and the fatality rate for patients undergoing heart procedures was extremely high.
Lillehei and Dr. F. John Lewis accomplished the first successful intracardiac repair of a human heart using hypothermia in 1952, paving the way for open-heart surgery, which had previously been impossible.
With the help of his colleagues, he developed the notion of “cross-circulation,” in which the patient is linked to a human donor. While the patient’s heart was being operated on, the donor would act as a living oxygenator. He used this approach to heal 45 hearts between 1954 and 1955.
The use of a human donor was far too complicated and posed ethical concerns. As a result, he was adamant on finding an alternative. In 1955, Lillehei and Richard DeWall invented the bubble oxygenator.
Lillehei and Earl Bakken developed the first transistorized, permanent cardiac pacemaker for practical use in 1957. The Lillehei-Kaster and St. Jude Medical valves were just two of his many innovations.
In 1967, he was named professor of surgery and chairman of the Department of Surgery at Cornell University Medical Center, as well as surgeon-in-chief at New York Hospital, where he performed the first clinical heart and lung transplant in 1969.
When he was in his fifties, he developed worsening vision, which forced him to leave his medical practice. He did, however, continue to work as a lecturer and consultant. Despite his fading vision, he also wrote a much.
In 1979, he was named medical director of the St. Jude Medical Heart Valve Division, a position he held until his death.
Major Projects of Clarence Walton Lillehei
Lillehei was a pioneering cardiac surgeon whose discoveries and innovations made it feasible to do complex heart surgery. He was a member of the team that performed the world’s first open-heart surgery and invented cardiothoracic surgery equipment.
Achievements & Awards
In 1955, he was awarded the Albert Lasker Award for medical research for his groundbreaking work in cardiac surgery.
For his “pioneering role in the introduction, innovation, and development of open heart surgery, as well as his crucial contributions to the invention of the heart-lung machine and the pacemaker,” he received the Harvey Prize in Science and Technology in 1996.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1946, he married Kay Lindberg. The doctor and his wife had a long and happy marriage that lasted till his death. This union resulted in four children and a large number of grandkids.
Lillehei lived a busy life and devoted himself to studies till the end. During his latter years, he was stricken with cancer and passed away on July 5, 1999.
Estimated Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Clarence Walton Lillehei is unknown.