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Christiaan Neethling Barnard was a renowned South African cardiac surgeon who became famous for performing the world’s first human-to-human heart transplant operation.
In today’s article, we take a look at his life as well as his cause of death.
Christiaan Barnard’s Biography
Barnard, who was born on November 8 in Beaufort West, Cape Province, always had a passion for medicine. In his native South Africa, he trained as a physician and researched the subject.
Through his research on dogs, Barnard created a treatment for the baby’s intestinal atresia defect in his early years as a physician.
Ten infants’ lives were saved in Cape Town thanks to this innovative procedure, which was afterwards used by doctors in Britain and the US. His outstanding career in medicine officially began with that event.
In order to advance his medical education, Barnard visited the US in 1955. At the University of Minnesota, Owen Harding Wangensteen first tasked him with gastrointestinal research.
He soon learned about the heart-lung machine, though, and was allowed to shift to the programme supervised by Walt Lillehei, the father of open heart surgery. His perception of the potential of heart surgery was altered by this event.
Barnard was chosen to lead the Department of Experimental Surgery at Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital after his return to South Africa in 1958. He carried out the famous heart transplant procedure there while he was there.
Louis Washkansky, 54, received the heart of accident victim Denise Darvall through a successful heart transplant on December 3, 1967, performed by Barnard.
Sadly, Washkansky died of pneumonia brought on by anti-rejection medicines 18 days after regaining consciousness and being able to speak with his wife.
Philip Blaiberg, Barnard’s second transplant recipient, lived following his procedure in 1968 for a full year and a half.
Barnard became a pioneer in the field of heart surgery as a result of his ground-breaking techniques, catapulting him into the international spotlight. His estimate of an 80% success rate for these surgeries has, however, come under fire as being inaccurate.
Barnard focused on anti-aging research after stepping down as the director of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in Cape Town in 1983 owing to rheumatoid arthritis.
When he advertised the pricey “anti-aging” skin product Glycel in 1986, the American Food and Drug Administration quickly withdrew its approval, which damaged his reputation.
Despite this setback, Barnard founded the Christiaan Barnard Foundation, which is committed to aiding less fortunate children all over the world.
On September 2, 2001, Christiaan Barnard passed unexpectedly while on vacation in Paphos, Cyprus. Early reports said he had a heart attack, but an autopsy determined that he actually passed away from a severe asthma attack.
Christiaan Barnard Cause Of Death
Christiaan Barnard’s cause of death was earlier reported that he had a heart attack, but an autopsy determined that he actually passed away from a severe asthma attack.
