Christian Cabrol

Christian Emile Cabrol (16 September 1925 – 16 June 2017) was a French cardiac surgeon best known for performing Europe's first heart transplant at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in 1968.

Cabrol was born in the Chézy-sur-Marne, Aisne region of Northern France. He joined the French Resistance at the onset of the Second World War and after the war gained admission to the Salpêtrière Hospital to study medicine. His thesis on the anatomy of the lung was published in two volumes, following which he completed a fellowship with open heart surgery pioneer Walton Lillehei at the University of Minnesota.

On 27 April 1968, he performed France's and Europe's first heart transplant. In 1982, he performed Europe's first heart–lung transplant and four years later, he implanted Europe's first Jarvik Total Artificial Heart (TAH) as a bridge to transplantation. Throughout his surgical career, he also pioneered techniques in valvular surgery including the tricuspid annuloplasty.

Among numerous appointments and honorary posts, he was involved with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) from its inception in 1981, becoming its president ten years later. In 1989, he became an active campaigner for organ donation with France Transplant and subsequently co-founded the Association for the Development and Innovation in Cardiology (ADICARE). From 1994 to 1999, Cabrol represented France in the European Parliament and was affiliated with Rally for the Republic. He was named a commandeur of the Legion of Honour and awarded a National Order of Merit for his work.

Early life Christian Cabrol was born on 16 September 1925 in the Chézy-sur-Marne, Aisne region of Northern France to a family descended from the shepherds of Cévennes. His father was a farmer, who kept bees and grew a vineyard. His maternal grandfather was a winegrower in a vineyard of Champagne.

He attended Chézy's school and Norman Shumway, with whom he remained lifelong friends. Cabrol, with his wife as anaesthetist He died from a pulmonary embolus.

His transplant programme was one of four worldwide programmes that continued heart transplants through the 1970s, the other three being Stanford University with Norman Shumway, the Groote Schuur Hospital with Christiaan Barnard and the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia with Richard Lower.

Other cardiovascular surgery Cabrol pioneered the technique of tricuspid annuloplasty and the repair of ascending aortic aneurysms, coronary and other valve surgery and the treatment of Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. two years after presenting Vladimir Demikhov with the first ISHLT "Pioneer Award" on 25 April 1989 in Munich, Germany.

In 1989, he became president of France Transplant, an organisation active in encouraging organ donation.

Between 1996 and 1999 he was president of the National Food Council (Conseil national de l'alimentation) and was assistant to the Mayor in charge of issues related to food hygiene.

Family and personal Cabrol met and married an anaesthetist colleague Annik in 1955. They divorced in 1998 and he then married the 14 years younger actress Bérengère Dautun,

His admiration for western movies gave him the nickname "Bill",

Selected publications Cabrol's thesis was on the anatomy of the lung, published in two volumes with the main author reported as Gaston Cordier, as was customary at the time; Others include;

"Treatment of aortic insufficiency by means of aortic annuloplasty", co-authored with G. Guiraudon, M. Bertrand and A. Cabrol, Archives des maladies du coeur et des vaisseaux (French) 59:1305–1322, January 1966.

“Briefing for members of the European Parliament on the draft directive to ban all tobacco advertising and sponsorship", European publishers council (1998). De tout coeur: la nouvelle chirurgie cardiaque, Odile Jacob (2006), Autobiography; Au cœur de la vie : Itinéraire d’un chirurgien d’exception: Itinéraire d’un, Flammarion (2012).