Cardiac Surgery

This book describes and illustrates the state of the art surgical procedures employed to treat congenital and acquired disease of the heart and great vessels in adults and children. After an introductory section covering history, risk scoring systems, quality assurance, and databases, the technical prerequisites for successful surgery are discussed. Particular attention is paid to postoperative intensive care management, and tissue engineering and mechanical circulatory support are also considered. The two main sections of the book then present the surgical procedures used in a wide range of congenital anomalies and acquired diseases with the aid of some 700 detailed anatomic and surgical drawings. This book, written by internationally recognized experts from approximately 30 cardiac units, will be invaluable for both novice and experienced surgeons.

Gerhard Ziemer, MD, PhD, is currently Professor of Surgery at the University of Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is also Director of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at Comer Children’s Hospital and Director of Adult Congenital Heart Surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Prior to moving to Chicago, he served for 15 years as Professor of Surgery at Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany. Dr. Ziemer specializes in a wide range of congenital cardiac surgery procedures, including complex, primary, and multistage repair in newborns as well as primary and repeat surgery in adults. In 1989, he performed the first successful neonatal autograft aortic valve replacement (Ross operation) in the world. Each year Dr. Ziemer visits Lima, Peru, to operate on 20-25 children with congenital heart disease, and he is an Honorary Professor at the National University of San Marcos in Lima. Dr. Ziemer has been involved in many international scientific societies and academic boards. Since 2005 he has been an Examiner in Cardiac Surgery for the European Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons. He is a member of the Governing Council of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and also a member of the editorial board for the World Journal of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery.

Axel Haverich, MD is a Professor of Medicine and Surgery and serves as Director of the Department of Thorax, and CV Surgery. Prof. Haverich serves as Member of the Scientific Advisory Board at Vital Sensors, Inc. He studied at Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.