ABSTRACT
RESUMEN: Se presenta una semblanza del Dr. Bernard Lown, uno de los más destacados cardiólogos del siglo XX. Muy relevantes fueron sus estudios sobre arritmias ventriculares e isquemia miocárdica, como también la influencia del estrés sobre el umbral de la fibrilación ventricular. Simultáneamente con otros investigadores europeos desarrolló el cardiovertor eléctrico. Se releva particularmente su condición de gran clínico y el trato humano con sus pacientes. Finalmente, se destaca su contribución a evitar una guerra nuclear por lo cual, junto al Dr Chazov, recibió el Premio Nobel de la Paz.
ABSTRACT: This is a biographical note on Bernard Lown MD, recently deceased. He was one of the foremost cardiologist in the XXth century. Relevant were his studies on ventricular arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia, as well the effect of mental stress in lowering the ventricular arrhythmia threshold. Along with European researchs he developed the electric cardiovertor. Special emphasis is placed on his skills as a clinician and is humane approach to patient care. He contributed to international efforts to prevent nuclear war. For this effort he was awarded, along with Dr Chazov, the Nobel Peace Price.
Subject(s)
History, 20th Century , Cardiology/history , Cardiologists/history , LithuaniaABSTRACT
Nina Braunwald, M.D. fue la primera mujer cirujano cardiovascular y la primera en ser certificada por el American Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery, y, además, la primera mujer en ser elegida miembro de la American Association for Thoracic Surgery. En 1960, Nina Braunwald efectuó el primer reemplazo valvular mitral exitoso, utilizando una prótesis valvular cardíaca diseñada y fabricada por ella misma, en el NIH. Nina dedicó su vida a la cirugía cardiovascular académica, siendo pionera en el cultivo de tejidos para el recubrimiento de superficies protésicas cardíacas, diseñando la prótesis valvular cardíaca recubierta completamente de tela de Braunwald-Cutter, que se usó en miles de pacientes entre los años 60 y 70. Casada con el famoso cardiólogo Eugene Braunwald, fue madre de tres mujeres que a su vez tuvieron una vida profesional exitosa. Murió en 1992 a la edad de 64 años por un cáncer de mama. Nina Braunwald fue recordada por el Presidente Barack Obama en su discurso a la nación del año 2009 en el NIH, como un pionero de la cirugía valvular cardíaca.
Nina Braunwald, M.D. was the first woman to become a cardiovascular surgeon and the first woman to be certified by the American Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery and also the first woman to be elected member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. In 1960, Nina Braunwald led the operative team at the National Institute of Health that implanted the first successful artificial mitral human heart valve replace-ment, which she had designed and fabricated. Nina dedicated her life to the academic cardiovascular surgery, being pioneer in the use of tissue culture techniques to develop nonthrombogenic cell layers and polymer surfaces to provide optimal surfaces for prosthetic valves and circulatory assist devices. She developed a totally cloth-covered mechanical prosthesis -the Braunwald-Cutter valve - which was successfully implanted into thousands of patients in the last 1960s and early 1970s. Married with famous cardiologist Eugene Braunwald, she was mother of three women that also had a successful professional life. Nina Braunwald died in 1992 of metastatic breast cancer. Her contributions as a pioneer of heart valve surgery were acknowledge by President Barack Obama during his 2009 speech to the nation at the NIH.