WHAT:
Human to Human Heart Transplant
WHERE:
Groote Schuur Hospital, Main Rd, Observatory, Cape Town, 7935, South Africa
LOCATION:
WHEN:
3rd September 1967
WHO:
Christiaan Barnard
DETAILS:
The first human-to-human heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard on December 3, 1967, at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. The recipient was Louis Washkansky, a 53-year-old man suffering from severe heart failure. The donor was Denise Darvall, a young woman who had suffered fatal head injuries in an accident.
The operation was groundbreaking, making Barnard a global pioneer in cardiac surgery. Though Washkansky survived for 18 days before succumbing to pneumonia due to immunosuppressive drugs, the surgery proved that heart transplantation was possible and paved the way for future advancements in the field.
LINKS:
CREDIT:
Picture credit: Heart of Cape Town Museum
Heart of Cape Town Museum Accredited – Cape Town, South Africa
The aptly named Heart of Cape Town Museum at the Groote Schuur Hospital takes visitors on a journey commemorating The World’s First Human Heart Transplant by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in 1967. With the advances in modern science we can take such operations for granted and the public’s recognition of the world’s first operation can fade. The museum team have been rightly proud of their new status as an Accredited World Origin Site and we wish them well in keeping this important site up and running for future generations to appreciate and be inspired by.
