Adrian Kantrowitz, Cardiac Surgeon
Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz, the man who performed the first human heart transplant in the United states and who developed several lifesaving medical implants, died on Friday, November 21, 2008 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kantrowitz passed away at the age of 90 from complications from heart failure.
For decades, Kantrowitz worked on improving his left ventricular assist device, a permanent implant for patients to help hearts circulate blood. In 1967, he performed the first human heart transplant in the U.S and later created L-VAD Technology, Inc., a research company.
He was one of the great minds of a generation. He continued to work throughout his life and enjoyed being a pilot and sailor in his spare time.
Read more about Adrian Kantrowitz’s extraordinary life and his many contributions to the world of medicine, read his obituary in the New York Times.
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