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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

This is a great gif of the cardiac cycle but I could only figure out how to post it as a video. I don't think the artist (@hippano) is here on bluesky but they're on tumblr (hippano.tumblr.com)

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Denying coverage doesn’t increase insurers’ profits? So they’re just doing it for funsies? Sad

Screenshot of Vinay Prasad asserting that denying coverage does not increase the profits of insurance companies.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Guess how many countries on this list have universal healthcare.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Organ transplantation has grown remarkably since 1967. Last year, more than 4500 heart transplants were performed in the US, but there are many patients still on the waiting list and many who have died waiting for an organ.

"Transplant is not the end of anything. It is the beginning of something new." In 2023, more than 4,500 heart transplants were performed in the United States, an increase of more than 10% over 2022.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Louis Washkansky's wasn't the only recipient of the Darvalls' generosity that day. A 10-year-old boy, Jonathan van Wyk, also received one of Denise's kidneys in the Non-European Section of Karl Bremer Hospital. This caused some controversy in apartheid-era South Africa as Jonathan was "coloured".

Photograph of Jonathan van Wyk, a 10-year-old boy who received one of Denise Darvall's kidneys.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

In spite of this, the first heart to have ever beaten inside the chests of two different humans was not interred with Washkansky's body. Instead, it lives on display at The Heart of Cape Town Museum where visitors can also see recreation of Washkansky's surgery in the actual OR where it took place.

This is the donor heart that made the world's first heart transplant possible.

Wax model recreation of the OR on the day of Louis Washkansky's heart transplant

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Washkansky survived 18 days after the transplant before ultimately dying of pneumonia. There was some controversy when it came to light that the donor heart that had once belonged to Denise Darvall was explanted after Washkansky's death. Jewish belief required that all parts of the body be buried.

Newspaper article reporting that "the heart which was grafted into Louis Washkansky in the world's first transplant has been taken from his body."

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Barnard quickly assembled his team of 30 in the OR. At 6:13 am, Dec. 3, Denise Darvall's heart began beating in Louis Washkansky's chest. Unlike Boyd Rush, Washkansky came off bypass and woke up from anesthesia. The operation made headlines around the world and made Barnard an instant celebrity.

LIFE magazine cover showing a smiling Louis Washkansky with Dr. Christiaan Barnard hovering over him.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

After assessing Denise Darvall and declaring her brain dead, Dr. Coert Venter phoned Barnard with news of a potential donor. With Barnard's approval, he spoke with Darvall's father. After being told about Washkansky, Mr. Darvall said, "If you can't save my daughter, you must try and save this man."

LIFE magazine spread with a photograph of Louis Washkansky's wife sitting with Denise Darvall's father.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Louis Washkansky had developed ischemic cardiomyopathy after suffering multiple heart attacks. As his condition worsened, he was referred to Dr. Christiaan Barnard who proposed a heart transplant. Barnard quoted an 80% chance of success. On November 19, 1967, Washkansky signed the consent form.

Photograph of Louis Washkansky, the first human-to-human heart transplant recipient

Consent form for Louis Washkansky's heart transplant

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Washkansky's transplant was quite another story. On Dec. 2, Denise Darvall and her mother were crossing an intersection when a distracted driver struck them. Denise's mother was killed. A doctor on the scene found Denise alive, but once they got her to Groote Shuur, she was declared brain dead.

Photograph of Denise Darvall, the donor in the first human-to-human heart transplant

Photograph of the site of the accident where Denise Darvall and her mother were killed

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Although they got the chimp heart beating inside Rush's chest, they were unable to wean him from heart-lung bypass. He did not survive the surgery. The AP initially reported that it had been a human donor. When it was clarified that they had used the heart of a chimp, the news was poorly received.

Newspaper article stating "Chimpanzee Heart Used for Human Transplant"

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

The Cape Times headline, "World's First Heart Transplant," isn't quite correct since there had been a heart transplant performed at the University of Mississippi on Jan. 23, 1964. In that instance, Dr. James Hardy transplanted the heart of a chimpanzee into a man named Boyd Rush (68).

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Guys, it feels weird to post this here, but... it's the anniversary of the first human-to-human heart transplant! Technically, I'm a day late as it's already Dec. 4 in Cape Town, South Africa, where on Dec. 3, 1967, the heart of Denise Darvall (25) was placed into the chest of Louis Washkansky (56).

The front page of the South African newspaper, The Cape Times, from December 4, 1967, declaring "World's First Heart Transplant - Groote Schuur doctors make history"

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Hey, @jtrebach.bsky.social. I've mostly been hanging out on Reddit lately but this guy who took a bite out of some random wild fruit before thinking to ask what it was made me think of you! I don't think anyone ever figured out what it was...

Screenshot of Reddit post that says "What fruit is this? Found it on a big tree very similar to a lemon tree. Very soft and easy to bite and sweet."

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

My tombstone will have to be some representation of 50,000 unread email messages.

A tombstone shaped like a large stack of books for Harry R. Snow who died on August 24, 1882 at the age of 26 years, 3 months, and 6 days.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

At one point, I was “known” for sharing interesting bits of medical history, mostly related to cardiology. That and starting an internet debate about how to resuscitate a centaur.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Whoa, I just accidentally found out you can make stickers from other people’s Bluesky photos!

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 26/10/2024

Picked up my copy of Critical Care: The Game and got to spend some time catching up with @laxswamy.bsky.social! Can’t wait for game night!

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 09/02/2024

I can’t decide whether this message printed on a Lululemon bag is inspirational or just depressing.

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Fred Wu, MD 🫀 吳明杰 @fredwumd.bsky.social · 10/01/2024

I don’t know how many adult congenital cardiologists are on here, but if any of you are interested in joining our team at Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we‘ve posted a job opening! www.nejmcareercenter.org/job/723724/a...

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