Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: pediatric cardiology

  • Helen Taussig

    Matthew HillAbdullah MubarikJulius BonelloPeoria, Illinois, United States Standing outside of the operating room, Helen Taussig was beside herself. Fifteen-month-old Eileen Saxon, a “blue baby” born with a congenital heart malformation that deprived the body of oxygenated blood, was undergoing a procedure that Taussig had conceived and recommended to the surgeon. Despite the surgeon’s success with…

  • Forgotten pioneers of pediatric cardiac surgery

    Jayant RadhakrishnanDarien, Illinois, United States Credit for pioneering heart surgery in children is primarily given to Robert Gross of Boston Children’s Hospital and Alfred Blalock at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. However, two Chicago surgeons who saved many lives with their innovations in the same era have been largely forgotten. In the first half of…

  • Helen Taussig: Founder and mother of pediatric cardiology

    Colin PhoonNew York, United States On November 29, 1944, a landmark operation arose from the collaboration of three pioneers: Alfred Blalock, Helen Taussig, and Vivien Thomas.1 Now carrying the eponym of the Blalock-Taussig shunt, this was the first “blue baby” operation done during a remarkable early era of heart surgery. Its concept and success resulted…