Celebrating his 39th anniversary with his wife, Una Loy, and their children was one of the good days. The entire world held their breath, as Clark began his final journey, pioneering a new frontier of medicine involving the most symbolic of all our organs, the heart.Ī dentist and “tough old guy” from Seattle, Clark was hailed as a hero as the world witnessed him weathering hard days and enjoying some good ones too. Others equated it with Frankenstein-like aspects, raising bioethical questions and concerns.ĭuring the seven-hour operation, reporters from around the world set up their press headquarters in the hospital cafeteria, draining the coffee supply. Known as the Jarvik-7 (named after former U of U physician and inventor Robert Jarvik, MD), this aluminum and polyurethane device was connected to a 400-pound air compressor that would accompany Clark for the rest of his life - all 112 days of it.Īt the time, such a move was associated with the significance of putting a man on the moon or seeing Saturn’s rings for the first time. Barney Clark-a heart that tore like tissue paper due to years of treatment with steroids-and replaced it with the world’s first permanent artificial heart. 2, 1982, in the darkest hours of the morning, cardiothoracic surgeon William DeVries, MD, carefully removed the ravaged heart of Dr.
#BARNEY CLARK WINDOWS#
Outside the University of Utah Hospital windows a blizzard swirled, inside another kind of power, not the least bit natural, was about to be set in motion.