Norman Shumway
Encyclopedia
Norman Edward Shumway was a pioneer of heart surgery at Stanford University
.
. He attended the University of Michigan
for one year as an undergraduate until he was drafted by the Army
in 1943, which sent him to John Tarleton Agricultural College in Stephenville, Texas
for engineering training. He then underwent Army Specialized Training, which included nine months of pre-medical training at Baylor University
, followed by enrollment at Vanderbilt University
for medical school. He received his M.D.
from Vanderbilt in 1949. He did his residency
at the University of Minnesota
, and was awarded a surgical doctorate
in 1956. In 1958, he began working as an instructor in surgery at Stanford Hospital in San Francisco, California
, and later, in Palo Alto
when the hospital was moved.
Shumway became chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford in 1965. In 1974, he negotiated the creation of a separate Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, which he chaired until his retirement in 1993. He spent many years training promising young residents of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University.
, he was the first doctor to successfully carry out a heart transplant
operation in the United States
in 1968, after Christiaan Barnard
's 1967 operation in South Africa
. The early years of the procedure were difficult, with few patients surviving for long. Shumway was the only American surgeon to continue performing the operation after others abandoned it after poor results.
In the 1970s he and his team refined the operation, tackling the problems of rejection
and the necessity for potentially dangerous drugs to suppress the immune system
. In particular he pioneered the use of cyclosporine
, instead of traditional drugs, which made the operation safer.
.
He died of lung cancer
in Palo Alto in 2006, on the day after his 83rd birthday.
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Early life
Shumway was born in Kalamazoo, MichiganKalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
. He attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
for one year as an undergraduate until he was drafted by the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1943, which sent him to John Tarleton Agricultural College in Stephenville, Texas
Stephenville, Texas
Stephenville is a city in and the county seat of Erath County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,921 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1856, it is home to Tarleton State University. Stephenville is among several communities that calls itself the "Cowboy Capital of the...
for engineering training. He then underwent Army Specialized Training, which included nine months of pre-medical training at Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, followed by enrollment at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
for medical school. He received his M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from Vanderbilt in 1949. He did his residency
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 the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, and was awarded a surgical doctorate
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1956. In 1958, he began working as an instructor in surgery at Stanford Hospital in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, and later, in Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
when the hospital was moved.
Shumway became chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford in 1965. In 1974, he negotiated the creation of a separate Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, which he chaired until his retirement in 1993. He spent many years training promising young residents of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University.
Heart transplant pioneer
In collaboration with Randall B. GrieppRandall B. Griepp
Randall B. Griepp is an American cardiothoracic surgeon who collaborated with Norman Shumway in the development of the first successful heart transplant procedures in the U.S. He has an international reputation for his contributions to the surgical treatment of aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection...
, he was the first doctor to successfully carry out a heart transplant
Organ transplant
Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
operation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1968, after Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Neethling Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant.- Early life :...
's 1967 operation in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The early years of the procedure were difficult, with few patients surviving for long. Shumway was the only American surgeon to continue performing the operation after others abandoned it after poor results.
In the 1970s he and his team refined the operation, tackling the problems of rejection
Transplant rejection
Transplant rejection occurs when transplanted tissue is rejected by the recipient's immune system, which destroys the transplanted tissue. Transplant rejection can be lessened by determining the molecular similitude between donor and recipient and by use of immunosuppressant drugs after...
and the necessity for potentially dangerous drugs to suppress the immune system
Immunosuppressive drug
Immunosuppressive drugs or immunosuppressive agents are drugs that inhibit or prevent activity of the immune system. They are used in immunosuppressive therapy to:...
. In particular he pioneered the use of cyclosporine
Ciclosporin
Ciclosporin , cyclosporine , cyclosporin , or cyclosporin A is an immunosuppressant drug widely used in post-allogeneic organ transplant to reduce the activity of the immune system, and therefore the risk of organ rejection...
, instead of traditional drugs, which made the operation safer.
Awards
In his later years Shumway was the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award given by the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation and set up a foundation to provide support and resources in education. He also received the 1994 Lister Medal.Family life
Shumway's marriage to the former Mary Lou Stuurmans ended in divorce. The couple had four children, one of whom directs heart and lung transplantation at the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
.
He died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in Palo Alto in 2006, on the day after his 83rd birthday.