Cardiothoracic surgery in South Africa: a history.

ABSTRACT: Cardiothoracic surgery in South Africa began in Cape Town spreading to the rest of the country, and since the end of apartheid slowly reaching other sub-Saharan African countries. It is a story of brilliant innovators, of the evils of the disease of apartheid but also of what is possible if you are determined and prepared to work hard. The early leaders came from the University of Cape Town (UCT) with Christiaan Barnard, Donald Ross and Rodney Hewitson all in the same class of 1946 with Ben Le Roux and Bob Frater soon after. It is a story of world class professionals in a sea of poverty. The heart transplants performed by Barnard stimulated the whole university and eventually had an effect in raising the standard of medicine in South Africa. Despite the apartheid laws at the time the cardi

SUBMITTER: Schewitz I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9096323 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature