Barnard, Christiaan Neethling (1922- ), South African surgeon who performed the first human heart-transplant operation.

Barnard was born in Beaufort West, and received an M.D. degree from the University of Cape Town in 1953 and a Ph.D. degree from the University of

Christian Barnard while operating on his patient Louis Washkanski on December 3, 1967.

Minnesota in 1958. He returned to the University of Cape Town in 1958 to teach surgery. Barnard specialized in open-heart surgery and in designing artificial heart valves. On December 3, 1967, he performed the first human heart transplant, transferring the heart of a 25-year-old woman into the body of Louis Washkansky, a 55-year-old grocer; Washkansky died 18 days later. The second transplant, on January 2, 1968, was for Philip Blaiberg, who lived for 563 days after the operation. Barnard's autobiography, One Life, was published in 1969.

Barnard was celebrated around the world for his daring accomplishment. Handsome and only 45 years old at the time, he graced the covers of magazines, toured the world, and became quite a popular figure. He enjoyed his fame.

Barnard had been bothered by rheumatoid arthritis since he was young, and advancing stiffness in his hands forced his retirement from surgery in 1983. He took up writing, however, and wrote a cardiology text, a (sometimes sensational) autobiography, and several novels, including a thriller about organ transplants.

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Christian Barnard is the first surgeon to perform an heart-transplant operation on a patient.

References : "Barnard, Christiaan Neethling," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993-1999

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bmbarn.html

http://www.penshop.co.uk/tps/editions/barnard.html

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