February 26, 2024
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is proud to join children’s hospitals from across the province in renaming a cardiac procedure to honour the groundbreaking contributions of Black surgical pioneer Vivien Thomas.
To recognize the indispensable role played by Vivien Thomas in the development of a paediatric cardiac surgery, the previously titled Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt has officially been renamed the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig (BTT) shunt at all five Ontario children’s hospitals.
The BTT shunt is a lifesaving surgical procedure performed on babies with heart defects that affect blood flow to the lungs. While the procedure is not performed at Children’s Hospital at LHSC, the new name of the procedure is now reflected in LHSC’s documentation systems.
“Alongside our provincial partners, Children’s Hospital at LHSC is proud to support the renaming of the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt,” says Nash Syed, President of Children’s Hospital at LHSC. “This important renaming will ensure that Vivien Thomas receives the recognition he deserves for his contributions to the medical field. We acknowledge that Black individuals have endured a history of racism, discrimination, and exclusion within the health-care system and stand firm in our commitment to dismantle systems of oppression, racism, and discrimination to transform care in a way that meets the needs of the communities we serve.”
On November 29, 1944, Dr. Alfred Blalock, Chief of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, first carried out the groundbreaking operation to treat a disorder known as tetralogy of Fallot, a common cause of ‘blue baby’ syndrome. The procedure was later named after two of the pioneers, Dr. Blalock and Dr. Helen Taussig. Due to racial discrimination, Vivien Thomas' contribution to the development of the shunt remained unknown outside of Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Thomas was a laboratory assistant and technician who ran Dr. Blalock's surgical studies. The renaming of the BTT shunt honours Vivien Thomas' significant contributions to the medical field and serves to demonstrate the ongoing commitment across Ontario’s hospital system to fostering an inclusive and diverse health-care environment.