There is no standard textbook at this time on endovascular management of thoracic aortic pathologies. Atlas of Thoracic Aortic Endografting contains clinical case scenarios as well as controversies to highlight the use of this new technology. The various aortic pathologies are discussed, combining etiology, diagnostic tools like intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and 64 slice CT scans which are all state of the art technologies, endovascular treatment, management of endoleaks, reinterventions combined with techniques of trouble shooting. This book highlights the new changes in the management of thoracic aortic diseases.

Cardiac disorders are an exciting area of classic pathology and recently defined disease. Cardiac Pathology: A Guide to Current Practice discusses the various disorders and also provides a backdrop of developmental embryology, diagnostic imaging and current therapeutics. Cardiac Pathology: A Guide to Current Practice aims to deliver in bench-book format a comprehensive overview of cardiac pathology that is relevant to those practicing in surgical pathology and autopsy arenas. Clear illustrations of the common styles of dissection are provided along with the normal anatomy and histology. Chapters cover the approach to the autopsy heart, ischemic heart disease, myocarditis, sudden death, valvular disease, transplant pathology, cardiomyopathy, cardiac neoplasia and congenital heart disease with a clear analysis of diagnostic criteria (macroscopic, microscopic and genetic) for both common cardiac diseases and those of rare format. The text is accompanied by high-quality macroscopic and microscopic images and references to other in-depth specialty data sources. Although aimed in particular at pathologists, Cardiac Pathology: A Guide to Current Practice should also be of value to cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and other professions allied to medicine.

Heart disease in children has a number of diagnostic traps for the unwary, and all of us involved in the specialty have been caught at one time or another. For example, it is sometimes very difficult to differentiate between respiratory and cardiac disease in infants and between neurological and cardiac conditions in older children, and the consequences of taking the wrong path can be significant. This book is a collection of cases highlighting situations which can ensnare even the best cardiologist. Although they illustrate the importance of taking a good history and performing a thorough examination, the most important lesson is learning to keep an open mind and develop the ability to think laterally. As clinicians we need to have the confidence to make a decision for our patients but also the humility to be able to acknowledge that we don't always get it right first time, and it is imperative that we learn from the experience. We hope the reader will find these short chapters interesting and while they are not evidence-based medicine in the true sense, they do represent a wide range of clinical experience from which we can all learn.

The book will be written by the experts in the disease including imaging, interventional cardiology and surgical valve expertise. The book has five main sections: Aortic Valve Disease Mitral Valve Disease Tricuspid Valve Disease Pulmonic Valve Disease Multimodality Imaging The main objectives of the book are: 1- to provide the main guidelines to clinicians on how to identify and diagnose valvular heart disease 2- to provide an overview of what the near future will bring in the diagnosis, prevention and risk stratification of patients to catheter versus surgical approaches 3- to outline the possible implications for medical therapies in slowing progression of calcific aortic valve disease and myxomatous mitral valve disease

This important new book presents advancements in the treatment and prevention of Atrial Fibrillation (AF). The reader is provided with the latest information that is critically important in the daily care and for the potential cure of patients with AF. Each chapter deals with a different aspect of AF and each chapter is authored by internationally recognized experts in the evolving field of cardiac electrophysiology. This book is a single source that provides a multi-perspective look at and approach to AF. Because AF is so prevalent and affects all areas of medicine, the information in this book will be useful to all those in the medical field.

Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is an emerging technology for thromboembolic prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The first human implantation of an LAA device occurred in 2001, and since then four devices have received CE mark approval. These devices are being widely used in Europe for LAA closure in patients who are poor candidates for long-term oral anticoagulation. In the US, the WATCHMAN device (Boston Scientific) is anticipated to receive FDA approval imminently for AF patients who are warfarin-eligible. This approval is projected to significantly expand the indications for LAA closures worldwide. Thus, the volume of procedures is anticipated to escalate. This book discusses the epidemiology of AF as a cause of stroke; the use of LAA closure in the reduction of thromboembolism with AF; early surgical approaches and novel surgical devices for LAA closure; and current percutaneous approaches and devices available for LAA closure. The emphasis of this book is on percutaneous technical approaches and contemporary trial results on the leading devices (PLAATO, WATCHMAN, Amplatzer Cardiac Plug, and LARIAT). It also reviews unapproved devices in development, in both clinical and pre-clinical phases.

This book provides an in depth review of the current practice in treating elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as an update of the existing literature. It is intended to reflect the current science of elderly patients with stable angina, acute coronary syndromes and those patients who are forwarded for CAGB procedures. Evidence in the elderly patient group is often limited and/or non-existent therefore the main challenge, even for further research, will be to define the role of geriatric preconditions and its impact on outcome. A second topic will be to clarify how, if ever, existing cardiological outcome values like mortality can be applied to elderly patients or if other values like improvement of functional status or quality of life are more suitable parameters to measure interventional success in elderly patients. The role of pharmacotherapy in advanced age has to be discussed. These topics will be embedded in epidemiological, pathophysiological and ethical aspects of interventional treatment of CAD in older age.

This book presents and describes a series of informative clinical cases with the aim of providing the reader with a clear understanding of the most frequent and challenging scenarios that a cardiologist may face during daily clinical practice. All major topics in modern clinical cardiology are addressed, including acute ischemic heart disease, conditions that mimic ischemic heart disease, heart failure and resynchronization therapy, cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias and channelopathies. Guidance is provided on imaging techniques and their interpretation, patient management taking into account potential comorbidities and follow-up appropriate to the clinical circumstances. The paradigmatic clinical cases in this book will serve as a sound basis for learning for medical students, residents and others wishing to meet successfully the challenges posed by cardiac disease. In addition, the book will be a very useful reference for the more experienced cardiologist.

The two previous editions of Applied Physiology in Intensive Care Medicine proved extremely successful, and the book has now been revised and split into two volumes to enhance ease of use. This first volume comprises three elements -- "physiological notes," "technical notes," and seminal studies. The physiological notes concisely and clearly capture the essence of the physiological perspectives underpinning our understanding of disease and response to therapy. The technical notes then succinctly explain some of the basics of "how to" in this technology-centered field of critical care medicine. Finally, a number of seminal studies are provided on diverse topics in intensive care. Applied Physiology in Intensive Care, written by some of the most renowned experts in the field, is an up-to-date compendium of practical bedside knowledge that will serve the clinician as an invaluable reference source on key issues regularly confronted in everyday practice.

The two previous editions of Applied Physiology in Intensive Care Medicine proved extremely successful, and the book has now been revised and split into two volumes to enhance ease of use. In this second volume some of the most renowned experts in the field offer detailed reviews on measurement techniques and physiological processes of crucial importance in intensive care medicine. Throughout, a key aim is to help overcome the fundamental unevenness in clinicians' understanding of applied physiology, which can lead to suboptimal treatment decisions. Applied Physiology in Intensive Care has been written by some of the most renowned experts in the field and provides an up-to-date compendium of practical bedside knowledge essential to the effective delivery of acute care medicine. It will serve the clinician as an invaluable reference source on key issues regularly confronted in everyday practice.

T e four heart valves reside in the center of the heart. T is indicates their crucial role in cardiac performance. Fau- less function of the valves is a prerequisite for unidir- tional forward movement of the blood, and such function is necessary to support the ef orts of the cardiac atria and ventricles. Healthy heart valves function gracefully and of er mechanical durability. Bioengineers have to marvel at the biomechanical evolution of these perfectly placed valves. Heart valves can be involved in pathological processes, however, and only then do we realize just how indispensable they really are. At one time, serious valve disorders used to be a matter of life and death for patients. Only in recent decades have surgeons been able to reverse the ominous course of heart valve disease and of er patients a quality of life and life span comparable to that of healthy persons. T e story of this ef ort began approximately 100 years ago, and today heart valve surgery is a substantial subspecialty of cardiac surgery, with accumulated experience in indications, procedures, risks, and outcomes. T e aim of this book is to present a richly illustrated compendium of the present knowledge related to heart valve surgery, based on the clinical expertise of the authors as well as the newest treatment modalities. T e authors thank Dr. Alireeza Matloobi from the Mayo Clinic for his help in preparating the book.

This book, unique in focusing specifically on cardiac masses, is the result of cooperation among a number of teams of radiologists working under the aegis of the French Society of Cardiovascular Imaging (SFICV). Its goal is to review the different CMR sequences and CT acquisition protocols used to explore cardiac masses, highlighting their diagnostic capabilities. It has been designed as a teaching tool and offers a fully illustrated compendium of clinical cases, tables summarizing data, and decision-making trees essential in everyday practice. It is presented as a practical handbook and can be either read cover to cover or consulted whenever needed during a cardiac imaging assignment. The book is intended for all students and experienced practitioners, whether radiologists or not, who are interested in cardiac or thoracic pathology.

This book provides information on the acquired and genetic basis of aortic diseases as well as giving a global perspective on therapeutic alternatives. The new concept of a team approach with surgeons working together with both interventional radiologists and specialists to repair the aorta is the trademark of this book. New material and new viewpoints are provided to practicing physicians in this modern approach to the treatment of disorders of the aorta.

It is now 20 years since thoracoscopic surgery first entered everyday hospital practice, revolutionizing surgery and offering major benefits to patients. The intervening years have witnessed rapid progress, with the development of a variety of specialized techniques and equipment. This superbly illustrated book provides authoritative and comprehensive descriptions of the various minimally invasive techniques that are currently employed in thoracic and cardiac surgery. A wide range of thoracoscopic procedures are explained and discussed, and detailed attention is also paid to robotic and robot-assisted surgical techniques. Throughout, the emphasis is on clear description of procedures and identification of practical aspects of relevance in surgical practice. The authors are some of the world's most experienced thoracic and cardiac surgeons, and many of them have contributed greatly to the exploration and development of the field.

Introduction to CT scan and MRI.- Anomalous systemic venous connections.- Anomalous pulmonary venous connections.- Atrial septal defect.- Unroofed coronary sinus.- Atrioventricular septal defect.- Ventricular septal defect.- Tetralogy of Fallot.- Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve.- Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum.- Ebstein's anomaly.- Patent ductus arteriosus.- Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.- Aortic coarctation.- Aortic arch interruption.- Complete transposition of the great arteries.- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome.- Cor triatriatum.- Tricuspid atresia.- Single ventricle.- Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect.- Truncus arteriosus.- Aorto-pulmonary window.- Anomalous pulmonary arteries.- Anomalous coronary arteries.- Double outlet right ventricle.- Double discordance.- Isomerism.- Slings and rings.

Imaging of the aortic root.- Perioperative imaging for assessing aortic and mitral valve diseases and surgical procedures.- Innovations in aortic valve surgery.- The aortic root.- Percutaneous transluminal aortic valve replacement: The CoreValve prosthesis.- Transapical aortic valve implantation - A truly minimally invasive option for high-risk patients.- From minimally invasive to percutaneous aortic valve replacement.- Sutureless equine aortic valve replacement.- The Ross operation: Aortic valve and root replacement with pulmonary autograft.- Pulmonary autograft or aortic allograft for surgical treatment of active infective aortic valve endocarditis: a review of the literature.- The Ross operation: two decades of clinical experience.- Aortic valve repair and valve sparing root procedures.- The bicuspid aortic valve.- From dynamic anatomy to conservative aortic valve surgery: the tale of the ring.- Yacoub/David techniques for aortic root operation: success and failures.- Aortic annuloplasty.- Correction of aortic valve incompetence combined with ascending aortic aneurysm by relocation of the aortic valve plane through a short-length aortic graft replacement.- Using BioGlue to achieve hemostasis in aortic root surgery.- Endocarditis.- Challenges in the surgical management of infective endocarditis.- Clinical results of the Shelhigh(R) stentless bioprosthesis in patients with active infective endocarditis: .- Double valve endocarditis and evolving paraannular abscess formation.- Aortic root abscess: reconstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract and allograft aortic valve and root replacement.- Implantation techniques of freehand subcoronary aortic valve and root replacement with a cryopreserved allograft for aortic root abscess.- Surgery for atrial fibrillation.- Cryoablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.- Minimally invasive endoscopic ablation on the beating heart in patients with lone atrial fibrillation.- Hemodynamic evaluation of the bioprosthetic aortic valves.- Evaluation of bioprosthetic valve performance as a function of geometric orifice area and space efficiency- A reliable alternative to effective orifice area.- Long-term results of biological valves.- Stented and stentless aortic bioprostheses: competitive or complimentary?.- Edwards Prima Plus Stentless Bioprosthesis: Long-term clinical and hemodynamic results.- The Cryo-Life O'Brien stentless valve: 1991-2008.- Medtronic stentless Freestyle(R) porcine aortic valve replacement.- The ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis.- The Vascutek Elan stentless porcine prosthesis - The Glasgow experience.- Sorin pericardial valves.- The changing role of pericardial tissue in biological valve surgery: 22 years' experience with the Sorin Mitroflow stented pericardial valve.- 20 years' durability of Carpentier-Edwards Perimount stented pericardial aortic valve.- Twenty-year experience with the St. Jude Medical Biocor bioprosthesis in the aortic position.- 20-Year durability of bioprostheses in the aortic position.- Clinical results including hemodynamic performance of the Medtronic Mosaic porcine bioprosthesis up to ten years.- Aortic root replacement with the BioValsalva prosthesis.- Valve replacement in renal dialysis patients: bioprostheses versus mechanical prostheses.- Replacement of bioprostheses after structural valve deterioration.- Predictors of patient's outcome.- Predicted outcomes after aortic valve replacement in octogenarians with aortic stenosis.- Predicted patient outcome after bioprosthetic AVR and the Ross operation.- Anticoagulation.- Anticoagulation and self-management of INR: mid-term results.- Tissue engineering.- Biomatrix-polymer hybrid material for heart valve tissue engineering.- Standards for the in vitro fabrication of heart valves using human umbilical cord cells.- Tissue engineering with a decellularized valve matrix.- Regularatory issues on tissue valves.- Human tissues for car

Although cardiac surgery has made an enormous progress during the last decades, the discipline has to cope with essential changes: Patients are increasingly cared for by cardiologists and therefore referred to the surgeon in a later stage of disease. Consequently, they are more often in an increasingly serious state or in advanced age with significant comorbidities. In order to meet the requirements of these different patient groups, cardiosurgical treatments require special protectional strategies for the heart in order to perform the planned operations safely. This book presents the latest knowledge of modern techniques of myocardial protection taking into consideration the different patient groups and current scientific strategies. Furthermore, it discusses present and future scientific approaches in myocardial protection and preservation.

This book is a valuable resource on the subject of off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery, which has recently been developed as a promising technique for reducing surgical damage to patients. Because of the increasing number of older patients who are candidates for a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation, less-invasive surgeries are becoming a priority all over the world. Despite some challenges, such as its technical difficulties, emerging questions, and controversies involved, OPCAB surgery in CABG is now the gold standard in Japan. This book, written by OPCAB experts, examines the procedure established and its chief benefits. Its coverage ranges from a careful evaluation of the evidence for and against OPCAB surgery to preoperative and intraoperative management of patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery. It also contains a description of advanced techniques for every aspect of the procedure. The authors[share essential insights into the latest trends in cardiovascular surgery for professionals and residents, presenting detailed descriptions of the exposure of the heart, stabilization of each coronary artery target, construction of distal anastomoses, and other important factors. The book offers an invaluable reference guide for cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, and other medical staff in operating rooms around the world.

Indications for central venous cannulation in critically ill patients have increased dramatically, but central venous access has the drawbacks of morbidity and a scarcity of experienced operators. Ultrasound-guided peripheral venous access offers a solution, in that it reduces morbidity and can be performed by a dedicated nursing team. The aim of this book is to teach the fundamentals of this emerging technique. Advice is provided on choice of materials; maneuvers for positioning of peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs), techniques for evaluation of PICC tip placement; prevention, diagnosis, and management of complications; and organization of a dedicated team within a hospital or a supportive care program. Legal and economic issues are also considered. The book will be of interest to a wide range of professionals, including nutritionists, oncologists, anesthesiologists, surgeons, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, and radiologists.

Written by internationally acclaimed specialists, Cardio-Thoracic, Vascular, Renal and Transplant Surgery provides pertinent and concise procedure descriptions spanning benign and malignant problems and minimally invasive procedures. Complications are reviewed when appropriate for the organ system and problem, creating a book that is both comprehensive and accessible. Stages of operative approaches with relevant technical considerations are outlined in an easily understandable manner. Forming part of the series, Surgery: Complications, Risks and Consequences, this volume Cardio-Thoracic, Vascular, Renal and Transplant Surgery provides a valuable resource for all general surgeons and residents in training. Other healthcare providers will also find this a useful resource.

When doctors first look at sutureless anastomosis devices created by new technologies, the most frequent comment is how amazingly easy it is to create a vascular anastomosis and, as a direct consequence, they believe anybody could play the role of the cardiovascular surgeon. Pessimistic c- diovascular surgeons, on their side, think that creating a machine capable of perfectly reproducing their core activity, which consists in making an- tomosis, will kill their profession. Actually, no medical specialty's demise has been more often predicted and, at the same time, more greatly ex- gerated than that of cardiovascular surgery. According to its detractors, - ginning in the late 1980s with the angioplasty boom, continuing in the mid-1990s with the introduction of bare metal stents, and then more - cently with the introduction of drug-eluting stents, cardiovascular surgery has been on life support for nearly 15 years. This specialty's claimed collapse has generally been attributed to recent advantages in percutaneous procedures and devices that give the oppor- nity to non-surgeon doctors to accomplish the surgeon's work. The reality is different. Data suggest that cardiac surgery continues to survive and has not suffered the precipitous decline that was predicted. From the economical standpoint, CABG is much more of a mature market and the size of the opportunity remains impressive and relatively stable, with around 1,500,000 procedures performed annually worldwide, at a total cost approaching 2. 5 billion US$.

These congenital deformities, funnel or keel chest deformities, as well as Poland syndromes, affect a small group of patients who suffer from aesthetic rather than functional impairment. The wide variety of diagnoses and recommended therapies, mostly surgical procedures, can be very confusing for patients, their parents, physicians and surgeons. In recent years several techniques have been refined and developed to deal with these complex problems, and surgeons with different specialties have been operating on these deformities, mostly as lonely experts in their respective fields. This book should not be seen as an operation atlas but more as a compact survey of a small group of medical conditions and the need for flexible options for an individual therapeutic approach, based on the combined experience of different international specialists. Thus the book is designed for obstetricians, pediatricians, physicians and surgical specialists alike.

Modern biological understanding is the basis for a multimodality treatment of a tumor. 'Anatomic Basis of Tumor Surgery' is the only book that provides an anatomic basis and description of tumor surgery based on an understanding of both the anatomy and biology of tumor progression. It presents the regional anatomy to allow tailoring of the operation as demanded.

Each chapter describes a very specific aspect of Achalasia by its known expert. Current diagnostic and management strategies of Achalasia, as well as the simplified operative approaches with relevant technical considerations, are outlined for the specific target audience.The treatment of Achalasia is complex and usually performed in specialized tertiary-care centres. The Editors' main goal is to render this disease more understandable and accessible to residents, fellows, and specialists in both the surgical disciplines (general surgery and thoracic surgery) and in gastroenterology.

The recent widespread application of minimally invasive techniques has had a profound impact on the diagnosis and therapy of thoracic disorders, including in the pediatric age group. This book is intended as a practical guide to the current approaches in pediatric thoracic surgery. Up-to-date information is provided on the surgical techniques employed for diagnosis and therapy in a wide range of congenital and acquired thoracic pathologies from the prenatal age to adolescence. Among the disorders considered in detail are cystic malformations of the lung, chest wall deformities, diaphragmatic hernias, esophageal anomalies, mediastinal tumors, laryngeal anomalies, and thoracic infections. The authors are distinguished experts in the field from across the world. Pediatric Thoracic Surgery will be of value not only for pediatric thoracic surgeons but also for adult thoracic surgeons, pediatric anesthetists, and pediatric respiratory physicians.