▁using ▁ext rac or por al ▁perf usion ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁John ▁W . ▁Kirk lin , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁sur geon ▁also ▁research ing ▁heart - lung ▁machines , ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁using ▁Gib bon ’ s ▁modified ▁heart - lung ▁machine ▁via ▁a ▁p ump - ox y gen ator . ▁So on ▁C . ▁Wal ton ▁L ille he i , ▁who ▁worked ▁nearby , ▁abandoned ▁his ▁technique ▁of ▁cross - cir cul ation ▁via ▁a ▁parent ▁as ▁a ▁method ▁of ▁diver ting ▁blood ▁through ▁an ▁external ▁circuit . ▁G aining ▁experience ▁of ▁the ▁heart - lung ▁machine ▁while ▁taking ▁care ▁of ▁the ▁procedure ▁during ▁an a est het ists ▁breaks ▁and ▁challeng ed ▁by ▁L ille he i ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁solution ▁to ▁the ▁und es ired ▁b ub bles , ▁De W all ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁problems ▁connected ▁with ▁o xygen ating ▁blood ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁developed ▁the ▁first ▁b ubble ▁o xygen ator ▁that ▁removed ▁b ub bles , ▁thus ▁avoid ing ▁gas ▁em bol ism . ▁Sil icon ▁ant if o am ▁and ▁May on ▁poly eth yl ene ▁tub ing ▁were ▁two ▁important ▁components ▁of ▁this ▁L ille he i - De W all ▁b ubble ▁o xygen ator . ▁ 3 5 0 ▁open - heart ▁operations ▁were ▁performed ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Minnesota ▁within ▁the ▁following ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁De W all ▁founded ▁the ▁first