Nina Braunwald, M.D. (1928-1992) primera mujer cirujano cardiovascular y cirujano del primer reemplazo valvular mitral exitoso a 25 años de su muerte
Nina Braunwald, M.D. (1928 -1992) first woman cardiovascular surgeon and surgeon of the first successful mitral valve replacement On the 25 th Anniversary of her death.
Rev. chil. cardiol; 36 (1), 2017
Publication year: 2017
Nina Braunwald, M.D. fue la primera mujer cirujano cardiovascular y la primera en ser certificada por el American Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery, y, además, la primera mujer en ser elegida miembro de la American Association for Thoracic Surgery. En 1960, Nina Braunwald efectuó el primer reemplazo valvular mitral exitoso, utilizando una prótesis valvular cardíaca diseñada y fabricada por ella misma, en el NIH. Nina dedicó su vida a la cirugía cardiovascular académica, siendo pionera en el cultivo de tejidos para el recubrimiento de superficies protésicas cardíacas, diseñando la prótesis valvular cardíaca recubierta completamente de tela de Braunwald-Cutter, que se usó en miles de pacientes entre los años 60 y 70. Casada con el famoso cardiólogo Eugene Braunwald, fue madre de tres mujeres que a su vez tuvieron una vida profesional exitosa. Murió en 1992 a la edad de 64 años por un cáncer de mama. Nina Braunwald fue recordada por el Presidente Barack Obama en su discurso a la nación del año 2009 en el NIH, como un pionero de la cirugía valvular cardíaca.
Nina Braunwald, M.D. was the first woman to become a cardiovascular surgeon and the first woman to be certified by the American Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery and also the first woman to be elected member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. In 1960, Nina Braunwald led the operative team at the National Institute of Health that implanted the first successful artificial mitral human heart valve replace-ment, which she had designed and fabricated. Nina dedicated her life to the academic cardiovascular surgery, being pioneer in the use of tissue culture techniques to develop nonthrombogenic cell layers and polymer surfaces to provide optimal surfaces for prosthetic valves and circulatory assist devices. She developed a totally cloth-covered mechanical prosthesis -the Braunwald-Cutter valve - which was successfully implanted into thousands of patients in the last 1960s and early 1970s. Married with famous cardiologist Eugene Braunwald, she was mother of three women that also had a successful professional life. Nina Braunwald died in 1992 of metastatic breast cancer. Her contributions as a pioneer of heart valve surgery were acknowledge by President Barack Obama during his 2009 speech to the nation at the NIH.