Norman E. Shumway, MD, PhD (1923–2006)

Norman E. Shumway, MD, PhD (1923–2006)

OBITUARY Obituary Norman E. Shumway, MD, PhD (1923–2006) A Pioneer in Cardiac Transplantation and in Cardiac Surgical Training Julian A. Smith, FRAC...

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OBITUARY

Obituary

Norman E. Shumway, MD, PhD (1923–2006) A Pioneer in Cardiac Transplantation and in Cardiac Surgical Training Julian A. Smith, FRACS ∗ Department of Surgery (Monash Medical Centre), Monash University, Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Monash Medical Centre, Australia

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orman Shumway was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1923. He enrolled at the University of Michigan intending to study law but was drafted into the United States Army. A military aptitude test in which he indicated a career interest in medicine set him up for a pre-medical course at Baylor University and a subsequent MD from Vanderbilt University in 1949. His intern and residency years were spent at the University of Minnesota where he developed a deep passion for cardiac surgery. He was particularly interested in patients born with malformed hearts and participated in studies evaluating the use of hypothermia as a method of myocardial protection during cardiac surgery. It was at the University of Minnesota where Shumway’s connection with Australian cardiac surgery began. He developed a close working relationship with George Stirling who was studying the influence of cardiopulmonary bypass, atriotomy and ventriculotomy on cardiac function in the University of Minnesota laboratory of C. Walton Lillehei. Shumway introduced Stirling to the protective effects of hypothermia which he brought to the Alfred Hospital in 1958. Shumway and Stirling maintained a close personal and professional contact over their working lives with Shumway being one of the international guest visitors at the George Stirling Fetschrift in 1993. Shumway commenced at Stanford University in 1958 where, in collaboration with Dr Richard Lower, he under took ground-breaking work over the next decade in the field of cardiac transplantation. Encouraging results of orthotopic cardiac transplantation were obtained in a canine model following their pivotal description of the simplified donor to recipient atrial anastomoses. In late

Available online 17 August 2006 Photo courtesy of Office of Communication & Public Affairs, Stanford University. ∗ Tel.: +61 3 9594 5500; fax: +61 3 9594 6045. E-mail address: [email protected].

1967, Dr Christian Barnard, who had observed Shumway’s experimental techniques first hand at Stanford a short time previously, performed the first human cardiac transplant. In January 1968, Shumway performed the first cardiac transplant in the United States. He was hoping to perform more transplants prior to announcing the results but this was thwarted by intense media attention worldwide. Many hospitals throughout the world including in Australia subsequently commenced cardiac transplant programs with dismal results due to allograft rejection and the complications of the immunosuppressive regimens available at the time. The vast majority of institutions abandoned the procedure but Shumway and his team persevered and remained committed to the program throughout the 1970s. In 1980, cyclosporine immunosuppression was introduced at Stanford resulting in significantly improved cardiac allograft and patient outcomes. With Dr Bruce Reitz, Shumway performed the first human combined heart and lung transplant in 1981. Shumway was responsible for establishing outstanding clinical and research programs at Stanford. He trained or recruited individuals who would become leaders in many of the subspecialty areas of cardiovascular surgery. He had great faith in each of them and would ensure that they would always receive due credit for their pioneering achievements. He encouraged laboratory research to develop and pioneer technical advancements in the field and also to answer questions that arose clinically. His residents were afforded significant technical responsibility in the operating room immediately upon commencement of their time at Stanford. Shumway was modest in describing his own surgical skills but was very proud of being “the worlds most experienced and greatest first assistant”. Many of his trainees went on to eventually lead cardiothoracic and cardiopulmonary transplantation programs in the United States and around world. They would apply the Shumway training princi1443-9506/04/$30.00 doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2006.06.007

ples in their own environment with great success. The majority of cardiopulmonary transplant units (including those in Australia) still have members who were trained at Stanford or have been trained by one of Shumway’s disciples. To his colleagues, trainees and patients, Shumway was a modest and humble man with an incisive wit. His operating theatre was full of humour and aphorisms even during stressful moments. The combined cardiology and cardiac surgery conferences at Stanford were a must just to hear the Shumway one liners frequently directed in jest towards his cardiological colleagues. All his team members from the theatre technicians to senior faculty were exceedingly proud to work alongside him and he was extraordinarily loyal to them and made everyone feel special.

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Away from medicine, golf was Shumway’s great passion. He was a regular on the Stanford golf course and drove the ball impeccably straight. His colleagues secured him a coveted entry in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament on the USPGA Tour as a 70th birthday present. Shumway retired from clinical practice in 1993 but remained actively interested in the affairs of his department until his death. He died at home one day after his 83rd birthday from the complications of cancer. Norman Shumway will always be remembered as the true “father” of cardiac transplantation and for training a generation of cardiac surgeons. He would frequently state that “you are only as good as the people you train” and his achievement in this domain was his proudest of many. His trainees remain eternally grateful for the privilege of learning from such a brilliant individual.

OBITUARY

Heart, Lung and Circulation 2006;15:404–405