Heart Valve Replacement & Future Trends in Cardiac Surgery [antikvár]

Foreword It has been an exhilarating experience to travel the chapters of this book. Rarely does a reader have such an experience as this to compare, contrast, and to question commonly held views and completely new concepts in one treatise. By enlisting world leaders in the fields of substitutes for valves, heart muscle, and hearts, one discovers the mind-boggling essentiality of learning more and more about less and less. Then one appreciates that these endless minutiae must be correlated! One alternately moves, struggling or sailing, with pain or pleasure, through independent yet interrelated subjects. One prays for more expertise in what is known to formulate bases to press forward to what needs to be known. Electronic, mechanical, or other "mind expanders" are essential if clear critical courses are to be found to extend use of current knowledge. So, here it is. You will find that the old expression, "there are two sides to every question," is a gross oversimplification. One is forced to differentiate hard scientific facts from "knee-jerk" subjective impressions. All are here. Personal and regional variations in reporting and documentation are fascinating. In short, we can all learn from these pages. In fact, many of the authors have a unique opportunity to learn from one another. Dwight E. Harken, M.D. Clinical Professor (Emeritus) Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts IX