- A dictionary of medical eponyms

Robert L. Kaster

Born  1933
Died  

Related eponyms

American Engineer, born 1933.

Biography of Robert L. Kaster

Robert L. Kaster, an electrical engineer with a degree from the University of Minnesota in 1951, became interested in prosthetic heart valves when he began working in the laboratory of Dr Lillehei. In 1965, he saw the deficiencies of the Cruz valve, developed by Anatolio B. Cruz in 1963. The problem with this valve was to eliminate stasis behind the open valve. In collaboration with Dr. Bokros, he found that Pylorite would be a good material for a new valve. When he moved to New York Cornell Medical Center in 1967 to work with Lillehei, he continued the development of a pivoting disc valve that had no hinges, the pivoting disc free to rotate as it opened and closed. This became what is now well known as the Lillehei-Kaster prosthesis or valve. His new valve was first implanted in 1970.

What is an eponym?

An eponym is a word derived from the name of a person, whether real or fictional. A medical eponym is thus any word related to medicine, whose name is derived from a person.

What is Whonamedit?

Whonamedit.com is a biographical dictionary of medical eponyms. It is our ambition to present a complete survey of all medical phenomena named for a person, with a biography of that person.

Disclaimer:

Whonamedit? does not give medical advice.
This survey of medical eponyms and the persons behind them is meant as a general interest site only. No information found here must under any circumstances be used for medical purposes, diagnostically, therapeutically or otherwise. If you, or anybody close to you, is affected, or believe to be affected, by any condition mentioned here: see a doctor.