Introduction

From 1973 until 1979, Dr. Ted Sadler and I, with consultation from Drs. Marvin Pomerantz and Bruce Paton, embarked upon a project to attempt to interview select pioneers of cardiac surgery. Those who were interviewed were selected by availability as much as anything else.  One criterion for conducting these interviews was the wish to record on tape the spontaneous, unrehearsed recollections of these pioneers during the days that they developed their own specific techniques and approaches to cardiac surgery, and especially their reactions when they first saw inside the human heart.  We were fortunate enough to obtain interviews with nine of these pioneers. 

We specifically chose an audio tape interview to avoid the artificial environment of video.  As of this printing, May 2003, only two of these pioneers who were interviewed are still alive.  Most of the interviews were designed to last ten to twenty minutes, with only brief interruptions to ask questions and to break up the continuity of the interview.  All of the interviewees complied with the wish to make this spontaneous except for Dr. Dennis, who had very carefully scripted his interview which was so typical of his style. While the print version makes for good reading, hearing the spoken voice of the individual as recorded on the accompanying DVD disc lends an  insight into the personality of the surgeon. I hope you enjoy reading and listening to these recollections of historic moments.

I. Dr. Henry Swan - March 4th, 1973

II. Dr. Dwight Harken - April 12th, 1973

III. Dr. Wilfred Bigelow - June 22nd, 1973

IV. Dr. Clarence Crawfoord - April 26th, 1974

V. Dr. Clarence Dennis - May 5th, 1974

VI. Dr. Gerard Brom - April 21st, 1976

VII. Dr. Charles Hufnagel - May 1st, 1979

VIII. Dr. C. Walton Lillehei - October 18th, 1979

IX. Dr. Ake Senning - November 14th, 1979