John Heysham Gibbon

John Heysham Gibbon was an American surgeon best known for inventing the heart-lung machine in the 1950s. This revolutionary device allows a surgeon to temporarily take over the functions of the heart and lungs during surgery, ensuring that oxygenated blood continues to circulate in the body while the heart is stopped. Gibbon's work paved the way for groundbreaking cardiac surgeries, including open-heart surgery, saving countless lives. His contributions significantly advanced the field of cardiothoracic surgery and transformed how complex heart conditions are treated.