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Discover of anticoagulants to prevent blood clotting
French surgeon Alexis Carrel discovered anticoagulants which prevented blood clotting by joining the vein of the recipient to the artery of a donor, This paved way for organ transplantation and led to blood being able to be kept in blood banks. -
Discovery of insulin
Frederick Banting and medical student at the University of Toronto, Charles Best managed to make an extract of the pancreatic chemical insulin, which was tested on dogs. -
Penicillin was first discovered and observed
British barcteriologist Sir Alexander Fleming discovered that mould had developed accidentally on a set of dishes while studying influenza, and noticed that the mould had created a bacteria-free circle around itself, and named the mould penicillin. -
Artificial pacemaker invented
Artificial pacemaker used to resuscitate patients whose hearts had stopped had been created by Albert S. Hyman, a practitioner cardiologist in New York City. His device was tested on several small animals, including a large dog and at least one human patient. -
Discovery of vitamin K
Henrik Dam, along with Edward Doisy discovered vitamin K, and its role in human physiology, mainly on bleeding problems. This was shown in a study carried out on chickens, and proved that this vitamin was necessary for blood clotting. -
First kidney dialysis machine
1945 First kidney dialysis machine Willem J Kolff treats a dying patient successfully with the ‘artificial kidney’, which was the first kidney dialysis machine. It was make of wooden drums, cellophane tubing and laundry tubs, and was able to draw, clean and pump blood back into the body. -
Artificial heart valve developed
Charles Hufnagel develops the first artificial heart valve, and performs the first artificial valve implantation surgery in a human patient the following year. -
First human open heart surgery performed
American ardiothoracic surgeon Clarence Dennis performed the first open heart surgery on a patient, along with his team at SUNY (State University at New York's) Downstate Medical Centre. The surgery was unsuccessful and the patient did not survive. -
First successful kidney transplantation
Dr. Joseph Murray performed the world's first successful kidney transplant, which was between the identical Herrick twins. The transplant was performed at the the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. -
First fully implantable pacemaker created
Dr. William Chardack and engineer WIlson Greatbatch are known to have invented the first fully implantable pacemaker, which was soon licensed and sold by Medtronic in 1960.
