In consultation with Consulting Editor, Dr. Jan Foster, Dr. Brian Boling has put together a state-of the-art issue of the Critical Care Nursing Clinics devoted to Cardiothoracic Surgical Critical Care. Clinical review articles are specifically devoted to the following: Fast Track Cardiac Surgery; Options for Minimally Invasive Valvular Surgery; Surgical Interventions for the Treatment of Advanced Heart Failure; Lung Transplantation; Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer; Post-Operative Management of Tetralogy of Fallot; Advanced Hemodynamic Monitoring in Cardiothoracic Surgery; Vasoactive Infusions in Cardiothoracic Surgery; Common Post Cardiothoracic Surgery Arrhythmias; Pain Control in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Patient; Renal Complications of Cardiothoracic Surgery; The Role of ECMO in Post Cardiotomy Shock; Resuscitation of Patients Who Arrest After Cardiac Surgery; and End of Life Care in Cardiothoracic Surgery. Readers will come away with the latest information they need to improve improves of cardiothoracic surgical patients.