Andreas Roland Grüntzig (25 June 1939 – 27 October 1985) was a German radiologist and cardiologist, with foundational interest, training and research in epidemiology and angiology.
[2] Andreas Roland Gruentzig was born in Dresden, Germany on 25 June 1939, shortly before the start of World War II.
In the late 1960s, Gruentzig learned of the angioplasty procedure developed by Charles Dotter, an American, at a lecture in Frankfurt, Germany.
[5] Gruentzig's first successful coronary angioplasty treatment on an awake human was performed on 16 September 1977,[6] in Zürich, Switzerland.
He expanded a short, about 3 mm, non-branching section of the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) artery (the front branch of the left coronary artery) which supplies the front wall and tip of the heart (see coronary circulation) which had a high grade stenosis, about 80%, of the lumen.
Gruentzig presented the results of his first four angioplasty cases at the 1977 American Heart Association (AHA) meeting, which led to widespread acknowledgement of his pioneering work.
There was minimal residual narrowing, probably less than 10%, as seen in similar angle and multiple different views comparing with photographs of the original, 10 years earlier, before and after results.
The excellent results of this initial and subsequent patients were critical to the rapid development and growing acceptance of the angioplasty treatment option.
Understanding these issues and tireless effort on his part are widely recognized in cardiology for being of fundamental importance to the ultimate success of the technique.
Gruentzig was contemplating a significant change in his career because he had become frustrated with the slow pace of his efforts in Europe compared to the United States.
The inaugural annual course took place in Atlanta in February 1981, attracting over 200 cardiologists from across the globe who eagerly observed the exemplary teaching methods of the brilliant instructor.
In one of his courses, Gruentzig stated: "No matter what happens to the technique, I have made one contribution, and that is allowing physicians to work within the coronary arteries of the awake, alert patient."'
Gruentzig's success remains a major breakthrough and great contribution to the field of medicine in demonstrating that doctors could work inside of the arteries safely, without the need for open surgery.
Gruentzig dressed himself 20 minutes after the procedure was done, headed back to his office and resumed his work while applying pressure to the puncture site with his hand in his pocket.
Gruentzig, an instrument-rated pilot, and his wife, Margaret Anne, died in an airplane crash in their Beechcraft Baron in Forsyth, Georgia, on 27 October 1985.