It gives us great pleasure to contribute a short introduction outstanding book. This comprehensive work provides an to this important volume. immense fund of information, and will be an invaluable The transplantation of thoracic organs - heart, heart source of knowledge to physicians, surgeons, and scientists lung, lung - is a field of surgery that is expanding annually. for many years to come. The use of mechanical assist devices and artificial hearts to support patients awaiting transplantation is also developing rapidly, and further advances in this field may eventually April 1990 Christiaan Barnard lead to a totally implantable device that will function Cape Town, South Africa successfully for many years. It is therefore timely that such a volume as this should be made available to those who wish to be brought up-to date with the current state of knowledge in these related fields. The editors have done us all a great service in bringing together experts in every aspect of heart and Nazih Zuhdi lung transplantation and replacement to contribute to this Oklahoma City, USA Xl Preface The fields of the transplantation and replacement of thoracic Refinements in bioengineering have enabled mechanical organs have expanded immensely since the first human assist devices and the total artificial heart to support patients to-human heart transplant was performed in 1967. This successfully until a suitable donor becomes available."

It is a great pleasure for me to contribute a few words as an achieved by many heart transplant centers and the ever improving results of lung transplantation and the functioning of mechanical introduction to the second edition of this volume, first published in 1990 when it was edited by David Cooper and Dimitri cardiac assist devices. Novitzky. The first edition was, in fact, a greatly expanded The current editors bring a wealth of expertise and experience version of an even earlier volume Heart Transplantation, edited to their task, and have blended together absolutely superb con by David Cooper and Robert Lanza and published in 1984. This tributions by many of the world's experts in their fields. This first work, authored by members of the medical staff of Groote comprehensive and highly readable volume documents the Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town Medical present 'state of the art' in the field of transplantation and School, was, I believe, the first volume reviewing this relatively replacement of thoracic organs. It provides an invaluable and un new field of medicine. paralleled source of information for those concerned with heart and lung medicine or surgery, and is essential reading for all who The present volume, therefore, continues the documentation of wish to keep abreast of developments in this field.

It is a great pleasure for me to contribute a brief introduction to this volume, to which so many of my colleagues at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town Medical School have contributed. Though considerable advances have been made in preventing or treating the complications of heart transplantation, even today a transplant pro gramme remains a major undertaking for a hospital team. The acquisition of a sufficient number of donor hearts, the maintenance of viability of those hearts, and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic rejection and infection remain major challenges to those caring for patients undergoing this operation. A transplant programme draws into it medical, surgical, nursing and paramedical staff from all quarters of the hospital and medical school, and requires sustained interest and dedication if patients are to be brought successfully through the procedure. If relevant experimental research is also to be carried out at such a centre, which in my opinion is essential, then an even greater number of highly skilled and creative people is required. A few of the authors of this book have been involved with the Groote Schuur heart transplant programme since its inception in December 1967 with the operation on Louis Washkansky. I am sure that none of them (nor I) had any idea of the public interest this operation would attract."