Sergei Brukhonenko

Sergei Sergeevich Brukhonenko (Серге́й Серге́евич Брюхоненко; 30 April 1890 – 20 April 1960) was a Soviet physician, biomedical scientist and technologist during the Stalinist era. Brukhonenko's research was vital to the development of open-heart procedures in Russia. He was one of the leaders of the Research Institute of Experimental Surgery, where Professor Alexander Vishnevsky performed the first Soviet open-heart operation in 1957.

Brukhonenko is primarily remembered for his development of the autojektor, one of the first heart and lung machines. The device was used to mixed results in a series of experiments with canines during the year 1939, which can be seen in the film Experiments in the Revival of Organisms. While there is some speculation today that the film is a re-staging of the procedures, the experiments themselves were well documented, and resulted in Brukhonenko being posthumously awarded the prestigious Lenin Prize.

Career
Brukhonenko received his secondary education in Saratov, later joining the medical faculty of Moscow State University. He was drafted to serve in World War I in 1914, witnessing numerous combat injuries while assigned to the active army as a junior physician. He returned in 1917 to work in Moscow. During 1919 to 1926, Brukhonenko was the assistant professor at the Department of Clinical Pathology and Therapy in Moscow.

Brukhonenko's work in creating the autojektor, an early heart-lung machine, was displayed in a series of experiments with canines in 1939. These experiments are shown in the 1940 documentary film Experiments in the Revival of Organisms, directed by David Yashin.

While the film is commonly suspected to be a re-staging of the procedures, as none of the more scientifically questionable experiments are shown in full-frame shots, the experiments in question were documented thoroughly. Additionally, the film's claim that dogs had been drained of blood and revived to live for years after was found to be only partially true, as according to the lab records the dogs survived for only days after the experiment, not years as the film claimed, and suffered serious brain damage.

Through 1951 to 1958, Brukhonenko lead the Institute of Experimental Surgical Devices and Instruments. Following his experiments with canines, Brukhonenko was granted permission to continue his autojektor experiments with human cadavers. However, these experiments failed to produce encouraging results, resulting in Brukhonenko losing favor with Soviet leadership.

Brukhonenko died 20 April 1960 from rectal cancer.

Legacy
in 1965, 5 years after his death, Brukhonenko was posthumously awarded the Lenin Prize for advancing knowledge of artificial blood circulation and laying the ground for future advancements.

His experiments laid the groundwork for further advancements in cardiac surgery in the Soviet Union.

Decorations

 * RUS Order św. Stanisława (baretka).svg  3rd class of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (1914)
 * Order of Saint Anna ribbon bar.svg  3rd class of the Order of Saint Anna (1915)
 * Gold Star Medal of Hero of the Soviet Union.gif  Lenin Prize (1965, posthumously)