5 recent 'firsts' in cardiology

Erica Carbajal -

Even amid the pandemic, innovation in cardiology is rampant, with U.S. hospitals and health systems continuing to perform novel heart procedures. 

Here are five "firsts" for cardiology that Becker's has covered since July 15, starting with the most recent:

1. Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Hospital has successfully performed the country's first pediatric heart transplant using the donation after circulatory death method, the hospital said Sept. 9. 

2. Cardiologists at Cincinnati-based UC Health performed the country's first endoscopic triple valve surgery on a 63-year-old heart failure patient July 12.

3. Cardiologists at Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine have become the first in the U.S. to use a 3D intracardiac echo device to treat a patient with heart arrhythmia. 

4. Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare has become the first health system in Georgia to perform 1,000 heart transplants. The milestone transplant was completed in June. 


5. The surgical team at Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Hospital, part of Duke Health, on July 12 became the first in the U.S. to implant a new-generation artificial heart. The recipient was a 39-year-old patient with heart failure. The artificial heart is an implantable prosthetic with biological valves created from bovine tissue, and runs on an external power supply.

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