EDITORIAL

Racism & Cardiology – A Paradox

he Maltese Cardiac Society Conference 2014 was held on the Barnard specifically wanted him on his team during this first 17-18th October where it attracted a record participation transplant procedure. Tof around 500 attendees. Indeed, locally we have made Nothing exceptional, you might say. However, in order significant advances in this field, which are usually more to appreciate its significance, one must understand that in aptly attributed to larger countries. One such technology is Africa, at that time, there was . Black people were the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). This not allowed to operate on caucasians or even enter operating minimally invasive surgical procedure replaces the theatres during such interventions. These, among the plethora of valve without actually removing the damaged one. Locally, a other restrictions, of course. In fact, the exceptionality of Naki’s transfemoral approach is used to carry out this procedure. In contribution has also been captured on the silver screen through essence, it means that there is no need to open the chest to insert Hidden Heart, a documentary released in 2008. the new valve and the patient can return home after a couple of Notwithstanding the restrictions imposed through days. apartheid, on 2 January 1968, Barnard performed a second At this stage I would like to take you back to December operation by transplanting the heart of a young black man, of 1967, when the first human heart transplant was carried Clive Haupt, who had died the previous day from stroke into a out. This was carried out by a South African cardiac surgeon, 58-year-old Caucasian dentist named Philip Blaiberg. Blaiberg , utilizing the techniques developed and survived the operation, and survived for 19 months (the first perfected by Norman Shumway and Richard Lower. He heart transplant patient died 18 days after the operation). performed the transplant at the ’s Groote Schuur At this stage, I question whether these historical anecdotes, Hospital. All the medical team was caucasian, with the by their very nature, are reminiscent of the paradoxicality of exception of Hamilton Naki who was Barnard’s black assistant. human nature. Although Naki never received a formal medical education, he was recognised for his surgical skills and for being able to teach such skills to medical students and physicians alike. In fact,

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