The first successful heart transplant took place in 1967. The landmark surgery was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa. The patient, Louis Washkansky, received the heart of a 25-year-old woman who had died in a car accident. Though Washkansky survived for only 18 days post-surgery due to pneumonia, the procedure marked a significant breakthrough in medical science, paving the way for future advances in organ transplantation. This milestone highlighted the potential of surgical techniques and immunosuppressive medications to enable patients with terminal heart conditions to receive new hearts.