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Mary Ellen Avery
(May 6, 1927 - December 4, 2011)
Born in the United States
Year of Discovery: 1959
Doctor Solves Puzzle that Suffocates Many Premature Babies!
Inspiration is not so much something that is pursued, as it is something that is recognized when it suddenly appears. Avery's life, beginning with her early days growing up in
Later, as a resident at Johns Hopkins in the mid-1950s, Avery began a serious study of the lungs. She was especially interested in the lung's surface tension and the role it played in the deaths of premature infants. It was Avery's insight that solved the mystery of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), an often-fatal lung ailment afflicting premature infants. She discovered these premature infants were missing a crucial substance, called surfactant, which protects the lungs from collapsing when infants exhale. Her discovery led to life-saving treatments that allowed these newborns to overcome RDS and fill their lungs with the very breath of life.Surfactant is the substance that keeps the lungs' airspaces expanded when we exhale. It acts by lowering the surface tension of the lungs, thus allowing the alveoli (the smallest air sacs inside the lungs) to remain open. But premature babies, especially those born before 28 weeks gestation, are unable to produce their own surfactant.
Avery had watched many premature infants lose their battle with RDS. It was difficult to watch and it happened quickly. The infants would struggle to breathe in fresh air, and then would make little grunting noises as they exhaled. They simply couldn't keep up. Their bodies turned blue and they died within the first three or four days of life. But, some survived. In fact, if they lived beyond those first critical days, they literally sprang back to life. Their lungs cleared and they were, by all appearances, healthy newborns. Avery wanted to know why. She was convinced there was something within the lungs themselves causing the RDS. Her breakthrough came when she heard that a scientist named Clements had identified a lung substance he called pulmonary surfactant. She was intrigued and drove to
Prior to Avery's discovery, doctors were at a loss as to how to treat these infants, and often watched helplessly as the infants struggled for breath and then died. Avery's identification of surfactant led to the development of replacement therapy for premature infants and has been credited with saving over 830,000 lives.
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National Library of Medicine Biography:
Alfred I. duPont Award for Excellence in Children's Health Care:
FASEB Journal article detailing Dr. Avery's role in discovering surfactant:
Children's Hospital Boston interview with Avery:
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The Science Behind the Discovery
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