Ann Arbor, Michigan – Dr. Robert H. Bartlett, known as the 'Father of ECMO,' has passed away at 86 years old.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, mourns the loss of Dr. Robert H. Bartlett, a pioneering surgeon and researcher who passed away on October 20, 2025, at the age of 86. Globally recognized as the “Father of ECMO” (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), Dr. Bartlett’s contributions to medical science have been instrumental in saving more than 100,000 lives worldwide. Born on May 8, 1939, in Ann Arbor, Dr. Bartlett was the eldest among four children. His father held a position as a surgical resident at the University of Michigan, influencing his decision to pursue medicine from an early age. The family later moved to Akron, Ohio, where he spent his childhood before returning to Michigan for his undergraduate studies at Albion College and for his medical degree at the University of Michigan Medical School. After completing his medical education, Dr. Bartlett engaged in a residency in general and thoracic surgery at the prestigious Peter Bent Brigham and Children’s Hospitals located in Boston. It w...