Fondation Alain Carpentier

No child must be set aside for financial reasons.

Pr. Alain Carpentier.

Pr. Alain Carpentier

About Professor Alain Carpentier

Professor Alain Carpentier is, perhaps, the world’s most renowned cardiologist, whom the President of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery calls the father of modern mitral valve repair. He is a member of the French Academy of Sciences and sits on the board of directors of the World Heart Foundation. Pr Alain Carpentier is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Cino Del Duca World Prize in 1996, the Lasker Prize in 2007 and in 2005 the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) bestowed its Medallion for Scientific Achievement for only the fifth time in its history.

As a researcher and scientist, Pr Alain Carpentier invented the concept of bioprosthesis, a prosthesis consisting of an animal part (as a porcine heart valve) or containing animal tissue implanted in human’s body without immunological rejection. Pr. Alain Carpentier is also the origin of reconstructive surgery of aortic valves, and techniques for repairing congenital heart defect. More recently, he invented the Carmat heart, the world’s first fully implantable, self-regulating heart.

Carmat heart

1987 – The beginning of an adventure

Dr Duong Quang Trung, Director of the health department of Ho Chi Minh City at the time, called Pr. Alain Carpentier for help:

Over 10,000 children die of heart defects in Vietnam each year. We need your help.

Dr Duong Quang Trung.

Infant methemoglobinemia, also called “blue baby syndrome”, can be cured with an open heart surgery and at this time no hospitals in Vietnam were able to do open heart surgeries.

Considering the dramatic situation of the children he had to examine, Prof. Carpentier suggested to create from scratch an Institute dedicated to the children of Vietnam with heart issues. Fondation Alain Carpentier was involved and raised funds in France to build the Heart Institute of Ho Chi Minh City.

Pr. Carpentier examining a child