Donald Shiley
Encyclopedia
Donald Pearce Shiley was one of the co-inventors of Pfizer
's Bjork–Shiley heart valve
. He was a 1951 alumnus
of the University of Portland
, where he studied engineering
.
Shiley began working at Edwards Laboratories, located in Orange County
, south of Los Angeles
, the first manufacturer of artificial heart-valves.
Later he established his own company, Shiley Laboratories, in the same area. His first valve was developed together with the American heart-surgeon Kay, and became the first disc heart-valve. Compared with the Edwards valve, which had the shape of a little ball, the advantage of the disc valve was to need much less space within the heart once implanted.
Some years later, Shiley improved his design in cooperation with the Swedish heart-surgeon Viking Björk
, which led to the first tilting disc heart-valve, resulting in a much better flow of blood
when passing the valve.
Other products were added to the manufacturing program of Shiley, especially trachea
l and endotracheal tubes for respiration after surgery
in the mouth or throat, and during anesthesia
.
The Björk–Shiley heart-valve underwent in the following years several improvements, which consisted primarily in the degree of opening of the disc, thus reducing turbulence
in the blood stream.
Shiley lost his first wife, Pat, when she was middle-aged. She, having been a very active woman, had helped Shiley to stay enthusiastic about his work and his company, and was a great loss to him. Some years later, Shiley decided to sell his company to Pfizer
, and retired.
On March 19, 2007, the University of Portland
announced a $12 million grant
from Shiley and his second wife, Darlene. The grant was for renovating the University's School of Engineering. The grant is the largest the University has ever received.
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
's Bjork–Shiley heart valve
Heart valve
A heart valve normally allows blood flow in only one direction through the heart. The four valves commonly represented in a mammalian heart determine the pathway of blood flow through the heart...
. He was a 1951 alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of the University of Portland
University of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
, where he studied engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
.
Shiley began working at Edwards Laboratories, located in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, south of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the first manufacturer of artificial heart-valves.
Later he established his own company, Shiley Laboratories, in the same area. His first valve was developed together with the American heart-surgeon Kay, and became the first disc heart-valve. Compared with the Edwards valve, which had the shape of a little ball, the advantage of the disc valve was to need much less space within the heart once implanted.
Some years later, Shiley improved his design in cooperation with the Swedish heart-surgeon Viking Björk
Viking Bjork
Viking Olov Björk was a Swedish cardiac surgeon.In 1968, he collaborated with American engineer Donald Shiley to develop the first "monostrut tilting disc valve" used to replace the aortic or mitral valve.The Bjork–Shiley heart valve was manufactured by Pfizer after they bought the Shiley company...
, which led to the first tilting disc heart-valve, resulting in a much better flow of blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
when passing the valve.
Other products were added to the manufacturing program of Shiley, especially trachea
Vertebrate trachea
In tetrapod anatomy the trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air. It is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells with goblet cells that produce mucus...
l and endotracheal tubes for respiration after surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
in the mouth or throat, and during anesthesia
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
.
The Björk–Shiley heart-valve underwent in the following years several improvements, which consisted primarily in the degree of opening of the disc, thus reducing turbulence
Turbulence
In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is a flow regime characterized by chaotic and stochastic property changes. This includes low momentum diffusion, high momentum convection, and rapid variation of pressure and velocity in space and time...
in the blood stream.
Shiley lost his first wife, Pat, when she was middle-aged. She, having been a very active woman, had helped Shiley to stay enthusiastic about his work and his company, and was a great loss to him. Some years later, Shiley decided to sell his company to Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
, and retired.
On March 19, 2007, the University of Portland
University of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
announced a $12 million grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
from Shiley and his second wife, Darlene. The grant was for renovating the University's School of Engineering. The grant is the largest the University has ever received.