Dr. Michael DeBakey, World Famous Cardiovascular Surgeon, Dies At 99
(AP Photo, FILE)
American heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey during interview in his office conference room at Methodist Hospital in this May 28, 1985 file photo taken in Houston, Texas. DeBakey, the world-famous cardiovascular surgeon who pioneered such now-common procedures as bypass surgery and invented a host of devices to help heart patients, died Friday night July 11 at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, officials announced. He was 99.
HOUSTON (AP) — Dr. Michael DeBakey, the world-famous cardiovascular surgeon who pioneered such now-common procedures as bypass surgery and invented a host of devices to help heart patients, has died. He was 99.
DeBakey died Friday night at The Methodist Hospital in Houston from “natural causes,” according to a statement issued Saturday by Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital.
DeBakey counted world leaders among his patients and helped turn Baylor from a provincial school into one of the nation’s great medical institutions.
While still in medical school in 1932, he invented the roller pump, which became the major component of the heart-lung machine, beginning the era of open-heart surgery. The machine takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery.
While still in medical school in 1932, he invented the roller pump, which became the major component of the heart-lung machine, beginning the era of open-heart surgery. The machine takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery.
It was only a start of a lifetime of innovation. The surgical procedures that DeBakey developed once were the wonders of the medical world. Today, they are commonplace procedures in most hospitals.
He also was a pioneer in the effort to develop artificial hearts and heart pumps to assist patients waiting for transplants, and helped create more than 70 surgical instruments.
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