Michael DeBakey: Revolutionizing Cardiovascular Surgery

Michael DeBakey, born in Louisiana in 1908, successfully revolutionized the world of medicine with his extraordinary achievements, such as enhancing health care policy nationwide, performing novel procedures to save lives, and inventing medical tools such as the roller pump. Today, he is commonly known as the “pioneer” of cardiovascular surgery. 

DeBakey was born into a large family, spending his childhood with his parents and four siblings. He knew from an early age that he wanted to become a surgeon. His expansive medical career began in 1928, after he began medical school at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. During his time, he was strongly advised by many of his mentors to become a surgeon. He spent his time working in numerous surgical labs and conducting research. It was here that he created the roller pump, a tool that is still used today for manufacturing heart-lung machines. Once he graduated in 1932, he began his two-year internship at a local hospital. He received an MS in 1935 for his research on stomach ulcers, and later spent a year studying abroad in Europe at the University of Strasbourg.

Once DeBakey returned from his year of study abroad, he began working at Tulane. He also married Diana Cooper, whom he met during his internship in 1932. DeBakey’s successes did not end here; in fact, he was just getting started. DeBakey spent a few years working in the Army Surgeon General’s Office, specifically in the Surgical Consultants Division. Here, he assessed and aided in multiple surgical services. In 1948, DeBakey was offered a job at Baylor University as the head of surgery. After some consideration, DeBakey accepted the offer. During his time as head of surgery, he made numerous accomplishments, such as upgrading the medical curriculum, implementing a surgical residency program, and recruiting staff members. 

In 1952, DeBakey and fellow surgeon Denton Cooley were able to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm, becoming the first Americans to do so. DeBakey also became one of the first surgeons to use heart-lung bypass machines, which were new at the time. Along with these accomplishments, DeBakey had many other firsts; he successfully conducted operations such as the patch-graft angioplasty and the carotid endarterectomy, becoming the first person to do so. Throughout his career, he also published many books ranging from various topics and published over 1,600 articles. His many accomplishments earned him prestigious rewards and honors such as the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Research and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

DeBakey passed away in July 2008 due to natural causes. Throughout his entire career, he conducted over 60,000 surgeries. He continued to operate until he was ninety years old. DeBakey’s extensive accomplishments continue to be celebrated and recognized today. His legacy in surgery is not something to be forgotten.

Written by Hawi Teju at Incisionary

APA References

Baylor College of Medicine. (2021). Legacy of Excellence. Baylor College of Medicine. https://www.bcm.edu/about-us/our-campus/debakey-museum/legacy-of-excellence

Biographical Overview. (n.d.). Michael E. DeBakey - Profiles in Science. Retrieved August 17, 2025, from https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/spotlight/fj/feature/biographical

Oransky, I. (2008). Michael E DeBakey. The Lancet, 372(9638), 530. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(08)61223-4