Maker:

Hufnagel, Charles A.  Search this

Physical Description:

plexiglas (overall material)

Measurements:

overall: 2 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in; 6.35 cm x 3.81 cm

Object Name:

cardiology

heart valve, prosthetic

artificial heart valve

Date made:

1940s-1950s

Description (Brief):

This is an early prototype of an artificial heart valve developed by pioneering heart surgeon Dr. Charles Hufnagel (1916-1989). In 1952 he and his team at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., invented and implanted the first successful artificial heart valve.

Hufnagel’s team experimented with various designs and materials. They settled on the ball prosthesis fashioned out of polymethylmethacrylate, a hard, clear plastic more popularly known by the trade name of Plexiglas or Lucite.

Location:

Currently not on view

Subject:

Medicine  Search this

Cardiology  Search this

Prosthesis  Search this

Related Publication:

Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. Journal of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, Vol 11

Credit Line:

Charles A. Hufnagel, M.D.

ID Number:

MG.M-11582.02

Accession number:

267860

Catalog number:

M-11582.02

See more items in:

Medicine and Science: Medicine

Artificial Heart Valves

Health & Medicine

Data Source:

National Museum of American History

GUID:

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ae-187d-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:nmah_1196367