5 recent ‘firsts’ in cardiology

Here are five “firsts” for cardiology that Becker’s has covered since July 15, starting with the most recent:

1. Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Hospital has successfully performed the country’s first pediatric heart transplant using the donation after circulatory death method, the hospital said Sept. 9. 

2. Cardiologists at Cincinnati-based UC Health performed the country’s first endoscopic triple valve surgery on a 63-year-old heart failure patient July 12.

3. Cardiologists at Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine have become the first in the U.S. to use a 3D intracardiac echo device to treat a patient with heart arrhythmia. 

4. Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare has become the first health system in Georgia to perform 1,000 heart transplants. The milestone transplant was completed in June. 

5. The surgical team at Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Hospital, part of Duke Health, on July 12 became the first in the U.S. to implant a new-generation artificial heart. The recipient was a 39-year-old patient with heart failure. The artificial heart is an implantable prosthetic with biological valves created from bovine tissue, and runs on an external power supply.