F. Mason Sones
Encyclopedia
F. Mason Sones, Jr. was an American physician who's pioneering work in cardiac catheterization
was instrumental in the development of both coronary artery bypass surgery
and interventional cardiology
.
to Frank Mason and Myrtle (Bryan) Sones. He graduated from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in 1940 and received his M.D. from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1943. In 1942, Sones married Geraldine Newton. The couple had four children, Frank Mason III, Geraldine Patricia, Steven, and David. From 1944 to 1946, he served in the United States Army Air Corps
in the Pacific and would later serve as a national consultant to the Air Force. Sones served as an intern at University Hospital in Baltimore
and was a Resident
at Henry Ford Hospital
in Detroit before joining the Cleveland Clinic Foundation
in 1950.
Cardiology. On October 30, 1958, while working in the Cardiac Laboratory on a 26 year old patient with rheumatic heart disease, Sones was performing a procedure in which contrast dye
was to be injected into the man's aortic valve
. Just before the dye injection, Sones noticed that the catheter tip had inadvertently entered the man's right coronary artery
. Sones asked that the catheter be withdrawn but before that could be accomplished a large amount of dye was injected directly into the artery. Sones expected the man's heart to go into fibrillation
and prepared to do an emergency open chest massage. Instead of fibrillating, the man's heart went into asystole
and Sones shouted at him to cough which successfully restarted the heart beating.
From this experience, Sones realized that smaller amounts of contrast dye could safely be injected directly into coronary arteries, giving cardiologists
accurate pictures of arterial blockages for the first time. Sones subsequently studied video engineering, dye chemistry, and optical image amplification to perfect the procedure. In 1967 Sones' Cleveland Clinic colleague, Dr. René Favaloro
performed the world's first coronary bypass surgery
. Dr Favaloro called Sones, "The most important contributor to modern cardiology," and said that without his work, "all our efforts in myocardial revascularization would have been fruitless."
Sones was honored with numerous awards during his career, including the American Medical Association
's 1978 Scientific Achievement Award
and the Gairdner Foundation International Award
in 1969. In 1973 he was awarded the Texas Heart Institute's Ray C. Fish Award. He founded the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and was its first president.
Sones died in Cleveland of lung cancer at the age of 66 and is buried in Chagrin Falls, Ohio - Evergreen Cemetery.
Coronary catheterization
A coronary catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure to access the coronary circulation and blood filled chambers of the heart using a catheter. It is performed for both diagnostic and interventional purposes....
was instrumental in the development of both coronary artery bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...
and interventional cardiology
Percutaneous coronary intervention
Percutaneous coronary intervention , commonly known as coronary angioplasty or simply angioplasty, is one therapeutic procedure used to treat the stenotic coronary arteries of the heart found in coronary heart disease. These stenotic segments are due to the build up of cholesterol-laden plaques...
.
Early life and career
Sones was born in Noxapater, MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
to Frank Mason and Myrtle (Bryan) Sones. He graduated from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in 1940 and received his M.D. from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1943. In 1942, Sones married Geraldine Newton. The couple had four children, Frank Mason III, Geraldine Patricia, Steven, and David. From 1944 to 1946, he served in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in the Pacific and would later serve as a national consultant to the Air Force. Sones served as an intern at University Hospital in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and was a Resident
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
at Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital, the flagship facility for , is an 805-bed tertiary care hospital, education and research complex located in Detroit ....
in Detroit before joining the Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic is a multispecialty academic medical center located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Cleveland Clinic is currently regarded as one of the top 4 hospitals in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report...
in 1950.
Discovery of coronary angiography
While at Henry Ford, Sones had learned the techniques of cardiac catheterization and his first appointment at the Cleveland Clinic was as head of PediatricPediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
Cardiology. On October 30, 1958, while working in the Cardiac Laboratory on a 26 year old patient with rheumatic heart disease, Sones was performing a procedure in which contrast dye
Radiocontrast
Radiocontrast agents are a type of medical contrast medium used to improve the visibility of internal bodily structures in an X-ray based imaging techniques such as computed tomography or radiography...
was to be injected into the man's aortic valve
Aortic valve
The aortic valve is one of the valves of the heart. It is normally tricuspid , although in 1% of the population it is found to be congenitally bicuspid . It lies between the left ventricle and the aorta....
. Just before the dye injection, Sones noticed that the catheter tip had inadvertently entered the man's right coronary artery
Right coronary artery
The right coronary artery originates above the right cusp of the aortic valve. It travels down the right atrioventricular groove, towards the crux of the heart.At the origin of the RCA is the conus artery....
. Sones asked that the catheter be withdrawn but before that could be accomplished a large amount of dye was injected directly into the artery. Sones expected the man's heart to go into fibrillation
Fibrillation
Fibrillation is the rapid, irregular, and unsynchronized contraction of muscle fibers. An important occurrence is with regards to the heart.-Cardiology:There are two major classes of cardiac fibrillation: atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation....
and prepared to do an emergency open chest massage. Instead of fibrillating, the man's heart went into asystole
Asystole
In medicine, asystole is a state of no cardiac electrical activity, hence no contractions of the myocardium and no cardiac output or blood flow...
and Sones shouted at him to cough which successfully restarted the heart beating.
From this experience, Sones realized that smaller amounts of contrast dye could safely be injected directly into coronary arteries, giving cardiologists
Cardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
accurate pictures of arterial blockages for the first time. Sones subsequently studied video engineering, dye chemistry, and optical image amplification to perfect the procedure. In 1967 Sones' Cleveland Clinic colleague, Dr. René Favaloro
René Favaloro
Dr. René Gerónimo Favaloro was an Argentine cardiac surgeon who created the technique for coronary bypass surgery....
performed the world's first coronary bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...
. Dr Favaloro called Sones, "The most important contributor to modern cardiology," and said that without his work, "all our efforts in myocardial revascularization would have been fruitless."
Later career and awards
Sones was the Director of the Cleveland Clinic Department of Cardiovascular Disease from 1966 to 1975, and later served as senior physician of the Department of Cardiology.Sones was honored with numerous awards during his career, including the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
's 1978 Scientific Achievement Award
AMA Scientific Achievement Award
The AMA Scientific Achievement Award is awarded by American Medical Association. It may be given to either physicians or non-physician scientists who have contributed significantly to the field of medical science...
and the Gairdner Foundation International Award
Gairdner Foundation International Award
The Gairdner Foundation International Award is given annually at a special dinner to three to six people for outstanding discoveries or contributions to medical science. Receipt of the Gairdner is traditionally considered a precursor to winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine; as of 2007, 69 Nobel...
in 1969. In 1973 he was awarded the Texas Heart Institute's Ray C. Fish Award. He founded the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and was its first president.
Sones died in Cleveland of lung cancer at the age of 66 and is buried in Chagrin Falls, Ohio - Evergreen Cemetery.