Cleveland Clinic played a leading role in the development and growth of cardiac surgery, one of the most dramatic stories in the annals of medicine. In 1962, heart surgeon Dr. René Favaloro arrived at the Clinic. Working with cardiologist Dr. F. Mason Sones, he planned and executed a new type of surgery to treat blockages of the coronary artery by using a relocated blood vessel to bypass the obstruction. When riots and disturbances broke out in
Cleveland in 1966, many businesses and residents fled the Clinic’s neighborhood. But instead of moving, Cleveland Clinic proceeded to build a new hospital wing and make plans for further growth.