Cardiac Surgery: Morphology, Diagnostic Criteria, Natural History, Techniques, Results, and Indications

When Kirklin or Barratt-Boyes speak, cardiovascular physicians listen. When they both write and then rewrite each line of the same book, even their usual crisp, logical, fully documented style improves, because the process forces them to reconcile their differences. This book will, thus, leave a deep imprint on the heart and mind of any reader interested in cardiac disease. Dwight C. McGoon, for example, says in his foreword, It would be expected that my background of clinical experiences as well as services as the editor of the journal of our speciality would assure reasonable familiarity with what is known in cardiac surgery. Nevertheless, as I have read through the various chapters of this book in a comprehensive manner, I have experienced afresh the thrill of discovering new knowledge, of setting straight some confusing and annoying misunderstandings regarding certain principles and of filling in various lingering gaps in my knowledge.... Furthermore,