New Display Houses Historic Collection of Artificial Organs

Willem J. Kolff, M.D.; Viking Björk, M.D.; Richard DeWall, M.D.; Adrian Kantrowitz, M.D.; and William DeVries, M.D. What do they have in common? All are leading pioneers in the field of artificial organ development and transplantation and have contributed their talents to the subject.

For instance, Kloff developed the first useful artificial kidney in the early 1940s, and among other contributions, Björk developed direct percutaneous left-heart catheterization and angiography. DeWall created the first practical heart-lung machine and oxygen bubble oxygenator, Kantrowitz devised a plastic heart valve and a heart-lung machine, and DeVries is known for development and implantation of the Utah Artificial Heart.

These physician/scientists and many more gathered Nov. 8 and 9 in Houston to compare notes and celebrate the grand opening of the International Center for Medical Technologies during a special two-day symposium.

The center is dedicated to the historical preservation and recognition of artificial organs. Exhibits of early devices, including early artificial hearts and assist devices, are located on the first floor of Memorial Hermann Hospital’s Cullen Pavilion and provide a comprehensive look at medical technology as it has developed over the past five decades.

The exhibits are open to the public, and include examples of artificial kidneys, artificial lungs, circulatory assist and artificial hearts, heart valves, and vascular prostheses.

The extensive collection can be credited to one physician, International Center for Medical Technologies Chairman Yukihiko Nosé, M.D., Ph.D., who began collecting the displayed archives in 1977 from various investigators and research facilities around the world. Nosé came to the United States from Japan in 1962 and worked with some of the pioneers of the artificial heart and early home dialysis devices. Appointed chairman of the artificial organs department at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, he began the collection in the 1970s. In 1989 he joined Baylor College of Medicine and transferred the museum from Cleveland to Houston in March 2000.

“What some call junk is a historical treasure to others,” laughed Nosé during the grand opening ceremony.

More than just a museum of medical technology, he said, the International Center for Medical Technologies focuses on youth entering into the engineering and medical device development fields. This year the center presented four scholastic scholarship awards and provided guided tours for youth groups, he added.

– Bryant Boutwell, Dr.P.H.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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