History of the department

1959
Hokkaido University, Department of Second Surgery established
1961
Dr. Saburo Sugie becomes professor (Hokkaido University, Department of Second Surgery)
1962
The first open heart surgery performed in Hokkaido University Hospital
1965
First pace-maker developed in Japan
1969
Japan’s first heart valve replacement surgery using an allogenic valve

S. Sugie et al. : J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.196

1974
Host of the 15th Annual Meeting of the Japanese College of Angiology (1974)
1976
Host of the 6thworkshop of the Japanese Society for Cardiovascular Surgery (1976)
1979
Host of the 76th Annual Congress of the Japan Surgical Society (1979)
1980
Dr. Tatsuzo Tanabe becomes professor (Hokkaido University, Department of Second Surgery)
Research on Cardiopulmonary endoscopy

T Tanabe et al. : Surgery. 1980

1986
Research on the pathology and treatment of aortic dissection – development of the Ivalon sponge occlusion method

 T. Tanabe et al. : Ann Thorac Surg. 1986

1994
Research on monitoring spinal cord ischemia using evoked spinal cord potential

 Y. Matsui et al. : J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1994 など

1989
Host of the 19thMeeting of the Japanese Society for Cardiovascular Surgery
1990
Department of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine opens (became independent from the Department of Second Surgery)
The first professor, Dr. Keishu Yasuda
Host of the 90th Annual Congress of the Japan Surgical Society
Host of the 31stAnnual Meeting of the Japanese College of Angiology
1992
Host of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Vascular Surgery
1993
Development of the stent graft using shape memory alloy.

H. Yoshida et al. : Ann Thorac Surg. 1994

1995
Identification of a major anterior segmental medullary artery using evoked spinal cord potential.

N. Shiiya et al. : Vasc Surg. 1995

Success in basic total aorta replacement

N. Shiiya et al. : Ann Thorac Surg. 1998

1996
Started to perform open stent surgery for thoracic aortic aneurysm

Y. Suto et al. : J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1996

1998
The number of yearly extracorporeal circulation procedures exceeds 150
Started stent graft treatment for thoracic aortic aneurysm
Introduction of an isolation method in selective cerebral perfusion
1999
Upgraded to the Specialty of High-level treatment, Circulation Pathology Course, Cardiovascular Surgery Group
Host of the 41st International of College of Angiology
2000
Host of the 10th anniversary of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery
2001
Success for the first time in the world in overlapping surgery for dilated cardiomyopathy

Y. Matsui et al. : J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2002

Host of the Aortic Symposium in Sapporo
2002
Host of the 16th Cardiovascular Surgery Winter Seminar
2003
Started to perform papillary muscle approximation (PMA) for serious heart failure
Introduction of endoscopy for varicose veins
Introduction of endarterectomy for chronic pulmonary thrombosis
Host of the33nd Meeting of the Japanese Society for Cardiovascular Surgery
Host of the 21st Japanese Society for Heart Transplantation
Host of the 11th Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery
2004
Host of the 45th Annual Meeting of the Japanese College of Angiology
2005
Retirement of Professor Keishu Yasuda
Started to perform papillary muscle suspension for serious heart failure
2006
Dr. Yoshiro Matsui, Professor, assumed the position
Ventricular reduction for serious heart failure fully introduced
2007
The number of yearly cardiovascular surgeries exceeds 200.
Started to perform endovascular aortic repair with commercial stent graft for abdominal aortic aneurysm
2009
Dr. Norihiko Shiiya becomes Professor of the Department of First Surgery, Hamamatsu Medical School
Establishment of the preparatory committee for heart transplantation
2010
Obtained approval as a heart transplantation facility
2011
Obtained approval as an implantable ventricular assist device operating facility
Host of the 1st Summer School of Cardiovascular Surgery (administration)
2012
Establishment of the Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Surgery (merged with Respiratory Surgery).
Host of the 2nd Summer School of Cardiovascular Surgery (administration)
2014
The first and 2nd heart transplantations under revised organ transplant law performed in our department
Host of the 4th Summer School of Cardiovascular Surgery (administration)
2015
Host of the 29th Cardiovascular Surgery Winter Seminar
3rd heart transplantation performed
Host of the 29th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Coronary Association
2016
Host of the 35th Annual Scinetific Meeting of the Japanese Society for Heart transplantation
Host of the 7th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Heart Valve Disease
4th heart transplantation performed
2017
Host of the 70th Annual Scinetific Meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery
2018
5th heart transplantation performed
2019
Retirement of Professor Yoshiro Matsui
6th heart transplantation performed
2020
Dr. Satoru Wakasa, Professor, assumed the position