Key Questions in Cardiac Surgery

This book will systematically cover all the main topics involved in the current practice of a cardiac surgeon. It will incorporate current guidelines for practice (such as from the American Heart Association and European Society of Cardiology) and up-to-date information based on current literature. All the chapters have been written by cardiac surgeons who have recently undertaken their Cardiothoracic Board / Specialty Exit examinations and reviewed by a cardiothoracic examiner of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Each chapter will be structured to include aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, indications for surgery, peri-operative management, surgical options and postoperative care. Possible complications will be discussed and the results of current practice presented. Importantly there will be a section on basic sciences related to the practising cardiac surgeon and a further section on cardiac investigations with many images illustrating the variety of pathologies.