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Cardiovascular Advances in the Twentieth Century
This timeline will decribes some advances in the twentieth century. Scientist today have a very credible knowledge of how the cardiovasuclar system works and hoew to treat issues in the cardiovascular system. -
Discovery of Blood Types
Karl Landsteiner demonstrated how people have different blood types that are decided based on the marker molecules on peoples red blood cells. Landstiener's discovery made it so that blood transfusion can be done safely. -
Blood Banks
Charles Drew demonstrated that if needed an emergency transfusion it could sucessfuly be done by using the plasma if the whole blood was not available. Drew established blood banks in World War 2 to store donated blood. He helped save millions of lives on the battlefield. -
Treatment fo "Blue Babies"
Helen Taussing identified the heart defect that causes some babies skin to be a bluish c olor . The blood of these "blue babies" does not recive the the appropriate ammount of oxegyn. Alfred Blalock crearted an opperation to correct this deffect. -
The First Heart Transplant
A South African surgeon, Christiaan Barnard, preformed the first transplant of the human heart. Louis Washkansky only lived for 18 days after the transplant, but he set a path for the future successes in transplamting hearts. -
Artificial Heart
The artificial heart was developed by Robert Jarvik and implanted by the surgeon William DeVries at the University of Utah. The man that recevied the artificial heart lived 112 days. Today most artificial hearts are only used as a place holder while people are waiting for a heart transplant. -
Laser Beam Unclogs Arteries
The government in the USA has approved a device that uses lazers to burn away the material that casues blockage in some arteries. It can help some people with atherosclerosis.
