In the clinic created by N.M. Amosov, about 7000 lung resections were performed, more than 95000 heart disease operations, including about 36,000 with cardiopulmonary bypass.
A testament to large-scale clinical practice and innovation.
Biography of Mykola Amosov
from a mechanic to a leading surgeon at a field hospital
Mykola Amosov (1913-2002) was a prominent Ukrainian cardiac surgeon, scientist, inventor and writer. He was born on 6 December 1913 in the village of Olkhovo, Vologda Oblast (now Russia). After graduating from medical school, he worked as a surgeon in rural hospitals and as a military surgeon during the Second World War.
In 1952, Amosov moved to Kyiv, where he headed the surgical department of the Tuberculosis Institute, and later created and headed the Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery. He became a pioneer in the field of cardiac surgery, the first in Ukraine to perform heart valve prosthetics and use cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. In total, Amosov performed more than 6,000 heart surgeries.
In addition to medicine, Amosov was actively involved in research in the field of biocybernetics and health philosophy. His book Thoughts and Heart became a bestseller and was reprinted many times. In his writings, he emphasised the importance of self-discipline, exercise and a responsible attitude to health.
Mykola Amosov received numerous state awards, including the title of Hero of Socialist Labour. He died on 12 December 2002 in Kyiv, leaving behind a significant legacy in medicine, science and literature.
1913 — 1952
Shaped by war and postwar years
1952 — 1982
Breakthrough and cardiac school
1982 — 2002
Health philosophy and lasting legacy
Mykola Mykhailovych is widely known as a writer. His novels "Thoughts and the Heart", "Notes from the Future", "Checkpoint 2266", and "The Book of Happiness and Misery" have been published many times in Ukraine and abroad
Exploring the human soul through fiction — stories that resonate across borders.
all booksAmosov’s Cardiac Institute
A milestone in Ukrainian heart surgery
In 1983, the cardiac surgery clinic headed by Mykola Mykhailovych Amosov was reorganized into the Kyiv Research Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery. The newly established institution received the status of the Republican Cardiac Surgery Center of the Ukrainian SSR and quickly became a leading medical facility in the field of cardiovascular treatment. The founding of the institute was a logical continuation of Amosov’s long-standing work in improving heart surgery methods and introducing innovative approaches to medical practice.
Under Amosov’s leadership, the institute rapidly developed and soon became one of the foremost cardiac surgery centers not only in Ukraine but also throughout the Soviet Union. Every year, about 3,000 complex heart surgeries were performed at the institute, including over 1,500 with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass machines. This enabled surgeons to perform open-heart procedures, significantly improving outcomes for patients with serious cardiac conditions.
In addition to its practical work, the institute was deeply involved in scientific research. It focused on solving some of the most pressing problems in modern cardiac surgery — from developing new techniques for valve replacement to modeling heart activity. Many of the institute's innovations laid the foundation for further breakthroughs in biomedical science and were adopted by other medical institutions.
Mykola Amosov became the first director of the newly formed institute and led it until 1988. After stepping down from his administrative duties, he was named honorary director. His authority, experience, and scientific vision continued to shape the institute’s development for many years, and Amosov’s name remains synonymous with the highest standards of Ukrainian cardiac surgery.
By the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 128-r of March 12, 2003, the Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine was named after Academician Mykola Amosov
Honoring a pioneer — the institute proudly bears Amosov’s name.
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