Christiaan Barnard Biography and Works.

The South African surgeon, Christiaan N Barnard performed the world’s first human heart transplant operation in 1967 and the first double her transplant in 1974. Born on November 8, 1922 in Beaufort West, South Africa, Christiaan N Barnard received his early education in Beaufort West and later went on to the University of Cape Town, where he received an MD (Doctor of Medicine) in 1953.

Barnard worked for a short time as a general practitioner before he joined the Cape Town Medical School staff as a research fellow in surgery. He then enrolled at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1955 with the hope of pursuing his research interests and gain experience.

After two years of study with Dr Owen H Wangensteen, he received his PhD from Minnesota. Then he returned to his native country to embark upon a career as a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Among some of his known findings, he proved that the fatal birth defect known as congenital intestinal atresia was due to the fetus receiving an inadequate supply of blood during pregnancy and gave the surgical procedure for its remedy.

As he returned to South Africa, he introduced the open-heart surgery to the country. He designed artificial valves for the human heart and experimented with the transplantation of the hearts of dogs. And eventually, these experiments served as preparation for his 1967 human heart transplant.

Barnard died on September 2, 2001 in Paphos, Cyprus at the age of 78.

TRIVIA

Barnard, eventually, gained recognition for research in gastrointestinal pathology.