Surgeons hailed as transplant pioneers
Two faculty members were named “Transplant Pioneers” Thursday by the National Kidney Foundation at a ceremony celebrating 50 years of transplantation.
Oscar Salvatierra Jr., MD, professor of surgery and of pediatrics, introduced blood transfusions from the kidney donor to the recipient in the 1970s, opening the door to the practice of using bone marrow cell transfusions from donors to prevent rejection. Salvatierra also helped draft legislation establishing a national system for distributing organs.
Norman E. Shumway, MD, PhD, emeritus professor of cardiovascular surgery, performed the first successful U.S. heart transplant in 1968. He also led the first successful combined heart-lung transplant surgery in 1981, and improved transplant survival rates through an increased use of immunosuppressive medication.
They were among 12 honored at the occasion.
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