Happy Birthday to the pacemaker, which turns 50 years old today.
Happy Birthday to the pacemaker, which turns 50 years old today.
A power failure on Oct. 31, 1957 that stretched from St. Cloud to Faribault, Minn. and eastward to Eau Claire, Wis. led to a conversation between University of Minnesota Medical School surgeon Dr. C. Walton Lillehei and Earl Bakken, the founder of Medtronic.
Lillehei asked Bakken to develop a battery back-up for his AC-operated pacemakers.
It took a few weeks, but Bakken created the first wearable, battery-operated external pacemaker. Following tests in University of Minnesota labs, the device was applied to a pediatric heart patient.
Each year, about 300,000 Americans and 900,000 people worldwide receive pacemakers. Since 1962, Medtronic has supplied patients with more than 6 million pacemakers.
Tim Harlow harlow@startribune.com
![]() Open positions!A new career awaits. Look through thousands of listings to find your new job. Start now! |
Win tickets, and maybe a $100 gift certificate, for the opening night party (Nov. 21) of the MCAD Annual Art Sale.Vita.mn presents the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Annual Art Sale at MCAD, Nov. 20-21. |
Comment on this story | Be the first to comment | Hide reader comments