December 1967General sourceWell documented
The first heart transplant
On the timeline · around December 1967 ·
What happened
Christiaan Barnard performed the first human-to-human heart transplant in Cape Town; the patient lived 18 days.
Why it matters
Proved organ transplantation was possible, opening the field that now saves tens of thousands yearly.
Sources
- American Heart Association. 50 years of heart transplants (2018) · General source