Thoracic surgeon Robert Bartlett, MD, former chief of the division of general surgery and the division of trauma/critical care at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine, died Oct. 20 at age 86.
Regarded as the “father of ECMO,” Dr. Bartlett helped develop extracorporeal membrane oxygenation technology during his time at UC Irvine (Calif.) in the 1970s, according to an Oct. 21 news release from Michigan Medicine.
He led the first team to successfully use ECMO on a newborn in 1975 while at UC Irvine, the release said.
In addition to his chief roles, Dr. Bartlett also served as director of the surgical intensive care unit and of graduate education in surgery at Michigan Medicine.
“He guided generations of trainees and colleagues with wisdom, patience, and kindness, always leading by example and optimism,” Alvaro Rojas-Pena, MD, director of University of Michigan’s Extracorporeal Life Support lab, said in the release. “Beyond his remarkable achievements, it was his humanity that left the greatest mark — the way he listened, encouraged, and believed in others. He taught us not only how to be better professionals, but better people.”
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