description Dwight Harken Overview
Dwight Harken was an American cardiac surgeon known for advances made during and after the Second World War. While treating wounded soldiers, he developed methods for removing bullets and shrapnel from the heart and major blood vessels without causing fatal injury, demonstrating that direct cardiac surgery could be survivable. He later contributed to operations for diseased heart valves and became an important figure in the development of cardiac surgery and intensive postoperative care.
help Dwight Harken FAQ
How did Dwight Harken remove shrapnel from soldiers' hearts during World War II?
Harken operated through small incisions and used his finger to locate and extract fragments from beating hearts, before modern heart-lung machines were available. His wartime series demonstrated that cardiac surgery could be performed successfully on carefully selected patients.
Did Dwight Harken help develop artificial heart valve surgery?
Yes. At the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Harken became an important early leader in prosthetic valve replacement during the 1960s.
What was unusual about Harken's wartime heart operations?
The heart generally remained beating while he removed bullets or shrapnel, since open-heart bypass technology did not yet exist. These operations challenged the older belief that surgeons should avoid operating directly on the heart.
Where did Dwight Harken build his cardiac surgery career after the war?
He worked in Boston and led cardiac surgical programs associated with Harvard and the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. His career connected the wartime treatment of penetrating heart injuries with the later era of valve replacement.
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