Reader comments
'82 heart implant sparked progress

I remember Barney Clark. He was a very brave man who deserves to be remembered. He did an extremely courageous thing and faced some very difficult days in order to help others. Not many people would do what he did and do it with the sense of humor and dignity with which he faced the ups and downs following the groundbreaking procedure. Although the procedure did not ultimately succeed in prolonging Mr. Clark's life by very much he was willing to do it in order to someday hopefully help others.

I agree with Sherry, Barney Clark was a fine man. I was a senior in high school at that time. Even though young, I do recall Barney Clark's sense of humor, although I cannot recall anything specific he said. But he appeared to be a classy person who was also very brave. If in the mind, heart and psyche of Barney Clark, he was afraid, it didn't make it into any of the papers I read or TV news I saw.

My mother was in LDS Hospital having her own (unrelated)surgery when Dr. Barney Clark performed the first heart transplant. He came into her room and chatted with her for a few minutes. It was one of the big events of her life.

Any story on the artificial heart that does not mention Cliff Kwan-Gett is a travesty to a man who may easily have done more for the artificial heart than anyone. Cliff was willing to stay in the research field for years forgoing the high salary he could have made in private practice.

Robert Jarvik didn't invent the artificial heart that was implanted in Barney. He took Cliff Kwan-Gett's design made a few minor modifications and stamped his name on it.

What were you reading? I saw Kwan-Gett's name a couple of time, with the information that Jarvik built on his design.

I lived in Scotland in '82 and it was a huge story over there. Nightly News coverage.

There is no mention of Dr. James Long who is noted to be one of the top cardiologists in the world, and also was and is a big part of the this program

I have spent many years attempting to keep the Dr. Clark history of events correct and as accurate as possible. Therefore I offer the following:
Maire 11/25 Dr. Clark was the recipient of the artificial heart and thus he did not visit your mother as a surgeon.
Michael 11/25 You are very correct in that Dr. Kwan-Gett's contributions were remarkable and I for one always recognize his achievements. He left the artificial heart research and entered into clinical cardiac surgery at St. Marks Hospital in 1970 until his retirement.
No Name 11/26 Dr. Long recieved the MD degree in 1982 and was introduced to artificial hearts in 1989 during the year he spent doing research on the TAH in the Utah laboratory. He is not a cardiologist but a very fine and accomplished cardiothoracic surgeon and a strong proponent of mechanical cardiac support and replacement devices.