Innovation 1930-1950: Heart Lung Machine
The stent has upset the perfusion market. It is cheap (well, cheaper). It is less invasive. It replaces surgery to fix arteries, veins and all sorts of major organz. All good things.
But, in its time, the heart perfusion machine - the heart lung machine - was an innovative device that helped millions to survive major surgery and to live long lives. By oxygenating blood outside the body, the machine allowed surgeons to make repairs that, until then, would have gone unrepaired.
Cate, George M. A Final Look at Perfusion in the 20th Century. AMSECT (American Society of Extra-Corporeal Technology) Today. December 1999. 1.