. In 1952, the first open heart surgery was performed, Explain the steps they took.
The first open heart surgery was performed by a team of surgeons led by Dr. C. Walton Lillehei at the University of Minnesota in 1952. The patient, a 5-year-old girl named Carol Ann, had a congenital heart defect that prevented her from getting enough oxygen to her body.
The surgery was done under general anesthesia and involved several steps:
1. The surgeons made an incision in Carol Ann's chest to expose her heart.
2. They used a cardiopulmonary bypass machine to temporarily take over the functions of the heart and lungs. The machine oxygenated the blood and pumped it through the body while the surgeons worked on the heart.
3. The surgeons then used a scalpel to cut open the right atrium of the heart.
4. They used a special tool called a dilator to stretch the opening and then inserted a rubber tube, called a cannula, into the heart.
5. Through this cannula, the surgeons were able to insert a tube into the left ventricle of the heart and repair the defect.
6. Once the repair was completed, the surgeons removed the cannula and closed the heart, then closed the incision in the chest.
7. Finally, the cardiopulmonary bypass machine was turned off and the patient's heart and lungs resumed their normal functions.
This landmark surgery paved the way for further advancements in open heart surgery and contributed significantly to the understanding of the heart and its functions.