This book covers the fundamentals of tissue engineering for the heart, starting with the basics of organ generation, sensors in tissue and organ fabrication, and the current state-of-the-art in stem cell engineering for the heart. With this foundation in place, the remaining chapters focus on specific aspects of the cardiovascular system, starting with heart muscle, then biological pumps, followed by bioartificial ventricles, and finally, bioartificial hearts. Throughout the course of this book, twenty-two in-depth case studies are presented. Each case study has been selected to illustrate specific design schemes for tissue and organ fabrication. This is an ideal book for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students studying tissue engineering and organ regeneration, especially those focused on cardiac regeneration. This book also: Includes twenty-two case studies that illustrate specific design schemes for engineering the heart Provides open-ended discussion questions at the end of each chapter as well as a detailed reference list to encourage further research and reading Covers the basics of organ fabrication as well as sensor technology and genetic engineering as they relate to tissue and organ fabrication

The treatment of end-stage heart failure with advanced surgical therapies has evolved significantly over the last several years and is a dynamic subspecialty within cardiac surgery. Surgical Treatment for Advanced Heart Failure describes the surgical management of advanced heart failure, including coronary artery revascularization, mitral valve repair, aortic valve replacement, ventricular remodeling, cardiac resynchronization, mechanical circulatory support with short-term devices for acute stabilization, long-term mechanical support as a bridge to transplant and for destination therapy, left ventricular assist devices, complete cardiac replacement with the total artificial heart, and cardiac transplantation. With contributions from a distinguished group of heart failure cardiologists and transplant surgeons, it is an authoritative resource for cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, and surgeons.

Pericardial disease is a broad term that describes a wide range of pathologies. The clinical aspects of pericardial disease encompass acute pericarditis, pericardial tamponade, pericardial effusion, constrictive pericarditis, and effusive-constrictive pericarditis. Those disorders differ not only in clinical presentation but also in the timeline of disease development; for example, pericardial tamponade is commonly an acute, life-threatening event, whereas constrictive pericarditis is a chronic process developing over months to years. Therefore, pericardial disease management is challenging for most clinicians. The evidence base in the field is relatively scarce compared with other disease entities in cardiology. European Society of Cardiology released guidelines for the diagnosis and management of pericardial diseases. Currently there are no guidelines from American cardiology societies to help clinicians in dealing with pericardial disease. In this book, my goal is to provide extensive review of pericardial disease evaluation and management. A unified, stepwise pathway-based approach for the management of pericardial disease is provided at the end of the book.

This book focuses on how ventricular assist devices (VADs) can help provide destination therapy for patients with terminal heart failure, one of the most serious diseases in the world today because of the tremendous number of patients, the high mortality rate, and the cost of care. One means of providing cardiological support for patients suffering from heart failure is with VADs, and more than 10,000 patients worldwide have now been implanted with these devices. Half of them already have lived more than one year, and 2,000 patients more than two years, after surgery. This improved survival means that we have reached a point where VADs can be used for destination therapy, not just for bridge-to-recovery or bridge-to-transplant. In view of the increasing number of patients with advanced-stage heart failure and the availability and longevity of transplanted hearts, VADs can solve many problems. In addition to providing information about the devices themselves, this book includes vital guidelines on long-term management and support of VAD-implanted patients' everyday lives.

Surgical Management of Benign Esophageal Disorders: The "Chicago Approach" covers all stages of the diagnosis and treatment of the most common benign esophageal disorders in a concise and easy-to-read format.Indications, patient preparation, operative techniques, and strategies for avoiding and managing complications are included and based both on evidence-based data and the experience of the most famous esophageal surgeons in the United States and abroad. Each chapter includes a summary of the current management strategy for the disease process, and a review of current state of the art techniques provided by world leaders on esophageal disease, surgeons and gastroenterologists alike. A special emphasis is given to emerging procedures in laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and endoscopy. Surgical Management of Benign Esophageal Disorders: The "Chicago Approach" is illustrated throughout with line diagrams that depict fundamental anatomic or technical principles and is a valuable resource for surgeons and gastroenterologists in residence and training.

This book provides an up-to-date review of current management techniques for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. It addresses all of the latest issues that have been raised by the discovery of oncogenic drivers and the improvement of diagnosis and therapeutic methods, including new radiotherapy techniques and anticancer strategies like immunotherapy. New strategies for patients with molecular alterations and the management of particular types of cases are also highlighted. Written by recognized experts in their field, the book represents a unique and valuable resource in the field of lung cancer, both for those currently in training and for those already in clinical or research practice.

This book describes the current applications of the robotic system in general surgery, focusing on the technical aspects of the procedures most commonly performed by this means. It provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in robotic surgery and presents the most recently available evidence as documented in the literature. The opening chapters review robotic platforms, discuss the general advantages, limitations, and strategies of robotic surgery, and identify challenges and critical elements when setting up a robotic program. The full range of applications of the robotic system is then covered, encompassing thoracic, esophageal, gastric, hepatobiliopancreatic, splenic, colorectal, endocrine, and transplantation surgery. Detailed attention is also paid to innovative applications and future trends in the robotic platform, with inclusion of a special chapter on fluorescence imaging during robotic procedures. The book closes by considering aspects related to credentialing and privileging, such as mentoring, proctoring, and teaching modules for residents and fellows. Against the background of increasing acceptance of the robotic surgery system across the globe, this book will be invaluable for all general surgeons. There is no doubt that within general surgery the system will continue to flourish on account of its undoubted technical advantages, which minimize most of the intrinsic shortcomings of laparoscopy.

In recent years, The impact of the inflammatory response in cardiovascular surgery has been a focus of much attention within the field of cardiac surgery. Despite that, scientific research on the topic is still lacking in the health science literature. To develop the bank of information available to all involved in the field, the Editors of this book have assembled a group of leading experts to investigate the most current and exciting topics related to inflammation and cardiovascular surgery. As such Inflammatory Response in Cardiovascular Surgery is vital reading for all involved in the management of cardiovascular surgical patients, such as cardiovascular and transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensive care physicians, cardiovascular and vascular fellows, and researchers.

There are growing questions regarding the safety, quality, risk management, and costs of PCC teams, their training and preparedness, and their implications on the welfare of patients and families. This innovative book, authored by an international authorship, will highlight the best practices in improving survival while paving a roadmap for the expected changes in the next 10 years as healthcare undergoes major transformation and reform. An invited group of experts in the field will participate in this project to provide the timeliest and informative approaches to how to deal with this global health challenge. The book will be indispensable to all who treat pediatric cardiac disease and will provide important information about managing the risk of patients with pediatric and congenital cardiac disease in the three domains of: the analysis of outcomes, the improvement of quality, and the safety of patients.

New Techniques for Thoracic Outlet Syndromes presents in a comprehensive format an up-to-date, state of the art reference that physicians can use in consultation to properly treat patients using the resources that modern medicine offers. This book offers the newer surgical approaches that have been developed during the past 30 years. Some of these techniques are modification of operations that were proposed previously but were not fully affective and left many patients suffering with permanent disability. This textbook is a compendium of the proper management of these patients that cannot be found in isolated reports of literature. The neurogenic-arterial thoracic outlet syndrome section covers how to diagnosis the illness using the proper tests, therefore eliminating the use of expensive, uncomfortable and inconvenient tests. The text is organized in three basic sections that cover all the aspects of the thoracic outlet syndromes. The first section addresses the neurogenic-arterial type, with the pertinent subsections: symptoms, diagnosis. A list of the useful tests is provided to make a correct diagnosis of this syndrome. This is followed by the sections on treatment, using the surgical approaches with historical aspects and evolution of the operations proposed. The second section involves the venous thoracic outlet syndrome divided into the corresponding subsections comprising: symptoms and physical findings, etiology, diagnosis. This section also includes a list of the usual tests to make the proper diagnosis. The last section of this text is dedicated to the presence of cervical ribs and their classification of the different types that occur, and also the proper surgical treatment when fusion of the upper ribs is present. New Techniques for Thoracic Outlet Syndromes offers the current, acceptable and most effective methods to handle thoracic outlet syndromes. It will be of great value to thoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists as well as fellows and residents in training for cardiothoracic and vascular surgery.

Esophageal cancer remains both a life-threatening disease and an everyday challenge for both patients and surgeons. Controversies regarding its management are prevalent, creating con- sion and uncertainties. Preoperative mortality and morbidity, limited overall and disease-free survival, and dismal prognosis make decision making regarding the choice of management dif? cult. Prof. Puntambekar is an enthusiastic surgeon, full of energy and inspiration. This young colleague offers contemporary possibilities for management of esophageal carcinoma. Prof. Cuesta is an experienced surgeon working in Europe. These two authors have compiled their work in this atlas and enrich the reader with experience encompassing two different c- tinents. This book is an update of novel surgical techniques of combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approach in minimally invasive management of esophageal carcinoma. Prof. Puntambekar's outstanding experience and expertise in this ? eld is fully illustrated in this book in a step-by-step description of the operative procedures. This book should be regarded as a landmark for the surgical management of esophageal carcinoma. The book is distinctive and the technical steps are original, re? ecting a deep knowledge of the regional anatomy and a unique ability of visual and operative orientation.

In the last decade, technical improvements have changed the inventory of many research laboratories. New techniques and discoveries continuously give rise to observations that result in the de?nition of new research objectives. In the past, - search departments were clearly demarcated. Nowadays, technology that is shared by all lines of research stimulates convergence of research interests. This also - plies to cardiovascular research. Vascular occlusive disease is now core business for researchers employed by cardiology, vascular surgery, vascular medicine, - diology, cell biology, chemistry, physiology, and many other areas. Knowledge on actual research development is shared by researchers with different skills. It is sometimes dif?cult to acquire expertise when a researcher feels his experimental work could be improved by introducing a new research technique. In this book, the investigator will ?nd an overview of recent developments that are relevant for research in general but cardiovascular research in particular. Genomics, p- teomics, microarray, RNAi, stem cells, and progenitor cells are just some phrases that have become increasingly prevalent in literature in the last few years and that are recognized by many, but are fully understood by few. In this book, experts share the most appreciated new developments and techniques in cardiovascular research. We hope that this book will help the reader who is working in the ?eld of cardiovascular research to understand and critically appreciate current research, and that it will help improve the quality of experimental work. Dr G.

Surgical options for the treatment of degenerative, ischemic, inflammatory, and functional mitral valve diseases have expanded greatly in recent decades. Still, a dilemma exists with employing prosthetic mitral valves - in that mechanical valves exhibit good durability but require anticoagulation versus the unpredictable durability of biological valve prostheses. Over the past few years, it has become clear that reconstruction of the mitral valve with autologous tissues effectively addresses this dilemma, with no need for anticoagulation and excellent durability, combining the best qualities of both prosthetic options without the disadvantages. Moreover, newer repair strategies, such as autologous pericardial leaflet augmentation and artificial choral replacement have expanded reparative approaches into virtually all pathologies, with excellent long-term results as compared to prosthetic valve replacement. At present, mitral repair is becoming the dominant procedure for treatment of virtually all patients with mitral valve disease. This book is designed to illustrate contemporary and sometimes diverse surgical techniques for various types of mitral valve repair with contributions from many of the leaders in the field. Mitral Valve Repair and the recently published Aortic Root Surgery are book publications arising from the Berlin Heart Valve Symposium 2008 entitled " The Biological Solution". The Mitral Valve Repair session was postponed to June 2009 and was featured as the Berlin Mitral Valve Symposium at the joint meeting of the Society for Heart Valve Diseases and the Heart Valve Society of America in Berlin. The book contains a collection of proceedings on current techniques and outcomes of mitral valve repair by many of the experts in this field which provide an authoritative reference source for cardiac surgeons, family practitioners and clinicians.

Much has been written about reperfusion injury in the past decade but unfortunately the information has been generally presented in the form of original specialist papers and little if any integral publication exists on the topic, summarising and analysing the clinical impact of the condition and its management. The pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of reperfusion injury are complex and, regarding diagnosis, individual diagnostic techniques have been proposed but without a proper assessment of the relative values of these methods. A publication dealing with integral diagnostic strategies would be welcome by the managing physician. Management of the condition is also problematic, as strategies that appear to work in the experimental models do not translate into beneficial interventions in patients. There is a need for these issues to be addressed and discussed in a monographic fashion. Management of Myocardial Reperfusion Injury will tackle these issues in a modern and systematic way and the information will be delivered in a fashion that will be appealing to the reader.

Cardiovascular fluid mechanics is now used as a tool in determining diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis by physicians and surgeons working in the fields of cardiology and angiology. The text is based on a considerable amount of clinical and experimental data on blood flow in the heart and large vessels obtained using various methods such as ultrasound pulsed Doppler velocimetry (including Doppler color flow imaging), catheter-tip electromagnetic velocimetry, hot-film anemometry, and laser Doppler velocimetry. The book will introduce medical researchers and clinicians to this rapidly developing field and allow them to apply the knowledge and the methods of fluid mechanics to practical medicine.

This book will provide both an evidence base and practical recommendations for the treatment of patients with congenital heart disease. It will be a resource to all health care providers, including pediatric cardiologists, pediatric intensivists, pediatric heart surgeons, fetal specialists, maternal fetal medicine specialists, neonatologists, nurses, advanced practice nurses, in addition to trainees in the field. It will summarize world knowledge on the topic of heart failure in patients with congenital heart disease. It will provide an in depth analysis of the current methods of diagnosis and treatment of heart failure. Now that surgical results are at record success rates, more patients with congenital heart disease are surviving, and thus at risk for sequelae from their disease, including heart failure. It will provide evidence based and practical recommendations to the practitioner for the management of heart failure signs and symptoms.

This pocket manual is a quick-reference handbook for general thoracic surgery. It is organized into 9 chapters providing a concise, yet inclusive list of the most common pathologies seen in thoracic surgery: pre-operative evaluation, peri-operative care, lungs and airways (divided into 3 separate sections to cover the vast number of topics), pleural disorders, mediastinal disorders, chest wall disorders, thoracic trauma, and benign and malignant esophageal disorders. The content of each chapter was specifically structured to make the handbook a high-yield reference that includes numerous management algorithms, flow diagrams, tables and images. Unlike a comprehensive textbook, paragraphs are kept at a minimum and the written material is presented using lists and bullet points to facilitate learning and retention. More importantly, the content is evidence-based and highlights the various controversies in the field. The Pocket Manual of General Thoracic Surgery is an irreplaceable educational tool amongst trainees and practicing physicians.

A comprehensive review of all known immune mechanisms for medically important fungal pathogens from the organ perspectives of the human body. This authoritative guide is organized by organ system, as one particular fungus can have several different effects.

Despite the significant decline in heart disease mortaht>' rates over the last 25 years, heart failure has remained a significant problem. We are now confronted with large numbers of terminally ill patients for whom conventional therapies for heart failure have been exhausted and for whom repeated hospital visits are necessary. There now is a major thrust towards a management strategy which embraces a comprehensive approach including vigorous preventive measures and earlier surgical interventions. This book outlines the major surgical options for the treatment of heart failure and brings together a very broad base of opinions with contributions from several outstanding individuals. With the improved knowledge and techniques to control rejection, transplantation has become the central pillar in the surgical management of this group of patients. Unfortunately, because of limited donor supply the teclmique cannot be applied to large numbers of patients. A great deal of excitement, however, exists in the potential for xenotransplantation as a supplement to homotransplantation. The use of cardiac assist devices has become a reality with several hundred LVADS and BiVADS implanted throughout the world and cardiac replacement with total artificial hearts continues to be used successfully as a bridge to transplantation. We are on the thieshold of the broad application of assist devices to provide prolonged relief of heart failure and restore patients to an ambulatoiy home environment and hopefully return to the work force in significant numbers.

This book is driven by the considerable progress made by novel imaging techniques in understanding the pathophysiology and evolution of aortic disease and its diagnosis. Despite the lack of symptoms in stable conditions, most aortic diseases have a high morbidity and mortality. New therapeutic strategies such as endovascular treatment and surgical techniques have appeared to improve conventional surgery in advanced phases of the disease, but until recently, medical treatment has focused on the control of cardiovascular risk factors using beta-blockers to reduce aortic wall stress by reducing blood pressure and heart rate. Pharmacotherapy in Aortic Disease updates the reader on the new medical treatment that are changing the natural history of these diseases. Leading experts have created a critical in-depth, yet concise, analysis of the available medical treatments for different aortic disease entities. Both basic research studies and clinical trials discussed in this book serve as a base for improving therapeutic management, delaying the need for surgery, and prolonging survival in these patients.

Computational Cardiovascular Mechanics provides a cohesive guide to creating mathematical models for the mechanics of diseased hearts to simulate the effects of current treatments for heart failure. Clearly organized in a two part structure, this volume discusses various areas of computational modeling of cardiovascular mechanics (finite element modeling of ventricular mechanics, fluid dynamics) in addition to a description an analysis of the current applications used (solid FE modeling, CFD). Edited by experts in the field, researchers involved with biomedical and mechanical engineering will find Computational Cardiovascular Mechanics a valuable reference.

Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Elderly: Evidence Based Practice is an important and timely book that reflects the thoughtful work of pioneers in geriatric surgery. It encompasses their knowledge related to geriatric surgery, and their reflections and guidance on the rapidly accumulating knowledge related to improving the health and surgical care of seniors. This book provides a scholarly review of the constantly expanding knowledge base about cardiovascular and thoracic surgery in seniors. The book follows a logical sequence covering general aspects of care, cardiac surgery and thoracic surgery. Chapters are focused on common, devastating and often missed complications of surgical care in the seniors. These include delirium, depression, pressure sores, functional losses, incontinence, volume depletion and asymptomatic or atypical complications -myocardial infarction, post-operative diarrhea, urinary track infections and pneumonia. Each is expertly reviewed. Strategies to help the surgeons and the surgical team anticipate, recognize and effectively prevent or manage such problems are discussed and the evidence basis for such strategies is provided. Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Elderly: Evidence Based Practice is particularly timely and the first to review the substantial body of knowledge that has been developed in recent years related to geriatric cardiothoracic surgical problems. It catalogs well the expanding knowledge basis for achieving successful surgical outcomes in the very old. It provides a most useful resources for cardiovascular thoracic surgeons in training and those already in practice.

The aim of this book is to focus on the important relationships between the heart and the brain in health and disease. The brain and nervous system may cause or influence heart disease, e. g. , by causing arrhythmias or modi- fying the response to ischemia. Disorders of the heart and circulation may cause brain damage, e. g. , by releasing emboli resulting in cerebral infarc- tion. Furthermore, both the brain and the heart are frequently targets of the same disease process. The heart and brain have electrophysiologically active cells, which may respond in similar ways to diseases and various interventions. Finally, many drugs affect both the brain and the heart, and drugs used for heart diseases usually have side effects on the brain and vice versa. With today's increasing subspecialization in medicine, we feel the time has come to present a book that integrates basic and clinical aspects of cardiology, neurology, cardiovascular surgery, and neurosurgery. We hope this cross fertilization will broaden horizons and advance both understand- ing and practice. This book is based on a symposium held at the University of TromS!/l, Norway, 24-27 June 1987, organized by Ilmar A. Sulg, Knut Rasmussen, Svein Ivar Mellgren, Dag S!/lrlie, and Helge Refsum of the Departments of Clinical Neurophysiology, Medicine, Neurology, Surgery, and Physiology, respectively. Weare grateful to the distinguished group of contributors for not only outlining their pioneering studies, but also describing their recent work and indicating important possibilities for the future.

Minimally invasive surgical techniques have the minimally invasive procedure allow far made a significant impact in lowering morbidity modifications in anesthetic technique. The and mortality and in changing the indications basics of this endeavor are weIl covered in this for operative surgery in the abdomen. Only section. recently have these minimally invasive tech- The basic techniques of thoracoscopic surgery niques been applied to the diseases of the tho- were developed in various diagnostic maneu- rax. The standard posterior lateral thoracotomy vers. It was this initial diagnostic application of infamous for its post-operative pain and atten- thoraeoseopy whieh aIlowed these teehniques to dant complications, is already being replaced in be developed and further therapeutie applica- a large number of situations by minimally inva- tions to be forwarded. This text nicely illustrates sive thoracoscopic techniques. eurrent diagnostie techniques and their applica- This text by Gossot, Kleinmann and Levi pro- tion. vides basic information required for surgeons In addition, the most commonly applied thera- interested in approaching the most common peutie proeedures in the pleura, lung and eso- diseases in the ehest utilizing thoracoscopic phagus are weIl eovered as are their indications techniques. The text is a well organized attempt and potential eomplications.

An Atlas of Radioscopic Catheter Placement is unique, and has been conceived as a handy reference guide for students, interventional cardiologists, nurses and electrophysiology technicians. It includes plenty of schemes and X-ray images, and every EP correct catheter positioning is explained step by step through detailed descriptions of the necessary manoeuvres, including some "trucks" brought about by the experience.