iHeartPodcasts

Cardiac Cowboys

History EN ↓ 8 episodes

The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, an...

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Episodes

Dr. Eric A. Rose & Dr. Gerald Imber on the Future of Heart Medicine 12.11.2025 26:46

Eric A. Rose, MD is a world leader in cardiac surgery and cardiovascular research who performed the first successful pediatric heart transplant. Gerald Imber, MD is a plastic surgeon and author whose medical history books include Genius on the Edge: The Bizarre Double Life of Dr. William Halsted and Cardiac Cowboys: The Heroic Invention of Heart Surgery . They join host Jamie Napoli to discuss the...

The Fates of the Cowboys 29.09.2025 45:22

Walt Lillehei’s years of living and operating on the edge finally catch up with him. In Houston, rival surgeons attempt to resolve four decades of bad blood.   For more information on the first cardiac surgeons, check out Dr. Gerald Imber's book " CARDIAC COWBOYS: The Heroic Invention of Heart Surgery ," published by Post Hill Press in 2024.   Presented by: Chris Pine Written and N...

A Man-Made Heart 29.09.2025 55:19

An ingenious medical device promises to eliminate the need for heart donors entirely. But when accusations of a stolen heart emerge, the simmering tension between Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley boils over, playing out in courtrooms and headlines across the country.   For more information on the first cardiac surgeons, check out Dr. Gerald Imber's book " CARDIAC COWBOYS: The Heroic Inventio...

The Transplant Race 29.09.2025 45:31

Surgeons across the country race to transplant the human heart. The stakes are unimaginably high, rivalries turn vicious, and the first surgeon to cross the finish line shocks the world.   For more information on the first cardiac surgeons, check out Dr. Gerald Imber's book " CARDIAC COWBOYS: The Heroic Invention of Heart Surgery ," published by Post Hill Press in 2024.   Presented by: C...

The Can Opener 29.09.2025 41:12

A devastating turn of events forces Walt Lillehei to re-think his approach to open heart surgery. In Houston, Denton Cooley’s swift rise plunges him into a battle of egos with his boss and mentor, Michael DeBakey.   For more information on the first cardiac surgeons, check out Dr. Gerald Imber's book " CARDIAC COWBOYS: The Heroic Invention of Heart Surgery ," published by Post Hill Pres...

Ready... Fire... Aim 29.09.2025 43:34

Two of the country’s most ambitious surgeons join forces to make Houston, Texas the new cardiovascular capital of the world. Dr. Michael DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley’s complementary talents make them a surgical dream team. But a friendly rivalry turns them from close colleagues to fierce competitors.   For more information on the first cardiac surgeons, check out Dr. Gerald Imber...

The Starting Gun 29.09.2025 46:02

America is in the midst of a cardiac health crisis. It’s the height of the Baby Boom, and American children are dying from heart disease in greater numbers than ever before in history. The doctor who sets out to solve this problem may just be the most fascinating man you've never heard of. Racing against his own terminal cancer diagnosis, Dr. Walt Lillehei embarks on an impossible mission: c...

Introducing: Cardiac Cowboys 18.09.2025 2:32

Listen to the series when all episodes drop Mon., Sept 29. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.