First Heart Transplant
Wednesday December 3, 2003
On December 3, 1967, South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard conducted the first heart transplant on 53-year-old Lewis Washkansky. The surgery was a success. However, the medications that were given to Washkansky to prevent his immune system from attacking the new heart also supressed his body's ability to fight off other illnesses. Eighteen days after the operation, Washkansky died of double pneumonia.


Comments
that must jsut suck do be so successfull and then die 18 days l8ter
that was amazing that he had a enough guts to do that. he was very brave. i couldn’t do that.
he was very brave because i think that surgery was very hard.
The first transplant was really done by a black guy in South Africa although Dr Barnard was with them. The Toronto Star printed this story about a year back. Regardless, congratulations for the first heart transplant.
God bless…..ameen
sorry for this but here is the copy of one article from the internet:
http://blogs.sun.com/katysblog/entry/hamilton_naki_an_unrecognised_surgical
nizar
awwww thats amazin but such a disaster that he died
THAT SUCKS THAT HE DIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am absolutely thankful to Christiaan Bernard and his skills. I’m a mom of 2 daughter with heart transplants. Without that risk to conduct the first heart transplant, my two daughters wouldn’t be here today.
Susan
I was very moved by the radio 4 play this week about this operation. Lou must have been a very brave man.
quite cool amazing how he had the guts to try that and quite rubbish how the guy died!!
wahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha.gud job..
cool im doing a report thingy on this So i like this page
thats amazing!
it is amazing that you can transplant a heart and very well done to the doctor, who must have been very confidenet. Lewis must have been brave and it must have been so annoying that he died after. I am 11
well done doctor. i am 5
you rock doctor thingy
GOD bless
god loves u 4 eva
Nice
Both the doctor and patient are hero’s that has led the path for Heart transplantion for those of us later on. If you are waiting for Transplant, death is close, as a successful recipient 3 years after transplantation, the miracle of of the
Gift from your donor, God’s intervention, Medical community support and Family support is all prime in your success. I cannot be more honored by the pioneers that went before.
well done! bravo bravo.. we are doing a history powerpoint on heart transplants and this is a great help! we love youu!
OMG so sad that he died, bless his soul wz a brave man. bless d doctor as well lead d way 4 alot of people 2 live. BLESS D DOCTORS AND BRAVE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD. peace 2 d earth
okay i absolutely love this story it makes me want to become a heart surgeon as well. im doing a oral report on this because i love the medical field. and im only 15!!!
and i respect that man so much!! :]
Thats not great that he died. Well Im looking up alot of articles today well playing WOW. Hope 2 see more comments soon.
ii’M dOiiNG A REPORt ON thE lAtE 1960′S fOR lANGUAGE ARtS ClASS.. thX thiiS PAGE ANd thE liiNkS PEOPlE lEft iiN thEiiR COMMENtS hELPEd.. [xo.]
iyaa i’m amy troung i think there both very brave people n i had a heart transplant to and i am very thankful that they risked that coz maybe if they did’nt risk that that day i myt not be ere now =p
That mst have been such a relief for doc after the surgery!I wonder if he regreted having surgery.
atleast they both tried..
WOW! hes a brave person fo’ tryin that fo’ 1st time everr. But not a v.good fing he died. bless him..
Im doing homework on this good help. Thanks.
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Ox.-
Yop!
Luv this story, well hardcore .
sad he died T.T’ ,
xxx
I met him in 1973 in Cape Town and gave him a tour of our ship. Yea it sucked that his patient died. He was not discouraged. His pioneering saved my life when 33 years later I had a heart transplant. life is wierd.
i just done a report on this
yea that must suck ..
way to go but it is sad tht the man died
I met Doctor Barnard in 1968 when he visited my ship H.M.S. Hermes during our visit to Cape Town. He was a charming, friendly non pompous man of great character. He enjoyed a tot of navy rum (neat)with us and left a happy man.
Sorry but the FIRST HEART TRANSPLANT was done in Mississippi by Dr James Hardy. It happened in 1963 when he transplanted a Chimpanzee heart to a human. If you want to retitle your First it should be first human to human heart transplant.
This Is So Sad
THE FIRST HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANT WAS DONE IN JACKSON,MS. at the University of Ms. Medical Center by DR. J.Hardy.
THAT JUST IS HORRIBLE
i think that if you need a heart transplant then you dont need a new one god has a reason he wants you and he needs you to die. you shouldnt try to stop your dieing you should just let god have you!
I would do that to save lives if I had to. I also planned to be a organ donater when I die
That was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!
I could never do anything like that!!!
Thanx a lot you helped me with my homework!!!!!
(\_/)
(’.')
Do you like my rabbit????
xxxxxxxx
who is the donor?
plss reply,,
heheehehe,,,
thanks for helping me with my homework lo!
Bummer that he died after living!