Conducted pivotal experimental studies that paved the way for open heart surgery at The Alfred Hospital.
The Baker Institute was instrumental in enabling The Alfred Hospital to perform its first open heart operation in 1957, which was one of the first in Australia. Much of the work leading up to this was carried out by researchers at the Baker Institute.
The heart lung machine that made the operation possible was assembled and tested in the laboratories of the Institute before it was deemed safe to use on patients. Materials were collected from Melbourne food and beverage factories to construct the machine in just 10 days.
Earlier chest surgery (pulmonary lobectomy) at The Alfred Hospital in 1934 was conducted after extensive laboratory development at the Baker Institute.
The establishment of one of the pioneer Australian centres of cardiac surgery at The Alfred Hospital was underpinned by the experimental studies conducted at the Baker Institute, highlighting the close collaboration that has been forged between the two organisations over the decades. Conducted pivotal experimental studies that paved the way for open heart surgery at The Alfred Hospital.
Australia's first Heart Lung Machine in use.