Cardiac Surgery in the Adult, 3rd Edition Doody's Expert Review Review Questionnaire ISBN: 9780071469135 ISBN-10: 0071469133 Copyright: 2008 Edition: 3rd Editor: Cohn, Lawrence H. Doody's Expert Review    Score: 100 Doody's Star Rating™ and Doody's Expert Review provide by Doody Enterprises, Inc. Reviewer: Stefano Schena,  MD  (Washington University School of Medicine) Description The third edition of this cardiac surgery book celebrates the 10th anniversary of the original work Dr. H. Edmunds released in 1997 and updates the successful second edition of 2003. A wealth of new chapters covers cutting-edge information and all chapters have been written by leading experts in their fields. The book employs a two-color format and includes more illustrations than previous editions. For the first time, a DVD of new and complex procedures is included. Purpose Cardiac surgery has ultimately evolved from a science of ischemic, valvular, and aortic diseases to a highly technological and minimally invasive specialty requiring new and sophisticated skills for the new generations of surgeons completing their training. The book revisits classic topics and adds several new chapters related to modern technologies: percutaneous valve therapy, minimally invasive and robotic valve and coronary artery bypass surgery, interventional and surgical management of cardiac arrhythmias, futuristic stem cell therapy of myocardial failure, and, last but not least, the established endovascular therapy of thoracic aortic disease. Each chapter reports the state-of-the-art and reflects the most recent reports in the international literature. The DVD is especially valuable. With modern surgical textbooks becoming more like multimedia tools than dry stacks of unreadable pages, readers can count on visual depictions of new techniques. The book achieves its goal of shedding new light on all the needed areas. Audience This is a great resource for medical professionals involved in the care of patients with cardiac surgical diseases. It certainly is a "must have" for trainees in cardiothoracic surgery as well as for more experienced practitioners who desire a reliable update from world renowned leaders in the field. Features Like the previous edition, the book is structured in eight parts. Part I focuses on the fundamentals with a new feature -- cardiac surgical imaging -- that any modern cardiac surgeon should be familiar with. Part II offers a new insight into both peri- and intraoperative care. However, in an era in which more complex pathologies are diagnosed in a timely manner and a larger cohort of unstable patients is surgically managed, temporary mechanical circulatory support becomes dramatically relevant and is therefore the most interesting topic included here. Parts III and IV historically represent the core of this book and focus on ischemic and valvular heart diseases. Different perspectives of on- and off-pump CABG are clearly described and referenced. The final chapters in both parts deal with the fundamental percutaneous and catheter-based interventions. Most of the data on these are still at a rather preliminary stage and they will certainly become central in future editions. Part V describes in great detail the diseases of the great vessel and includes chapters on both surgical and endovascular treatment of aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. Part VI is perhaps one of the most interesting and innovative, presenting perspectives on both interventional therapy and surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. The critical improvements achieved with the modern technologies are outlined in each area from the simple left atrial isolation developed in the early 1980s to the more recent surgical ablation technologies using cryoablation, radiofrequency, ultrasound, microwave, or laser energy instead of cut-and-sew standard lesions. Part VII is a brief overview of other cardiac operations with particular emphasis on congenital heart pathologies managed in the adult as well as heart neoplasms and pericardial diseases. Part VIII concludes this book with some of the most interesting and futuristic aspects of transplant and circulatory support. Long-term mechanical circulatory support and total artificial heart are now well known concepts in the attempt to solve the worldwide organ shortage and highlight the importance of "destination therapy." The newest approved systems are described in detail and multiple illustrations reveal the fascinating features of totally implantable or pulsatile-implantable devices. Two new chapters provide the latest information about what is really ahead in this specialty: tissue-engineered heart valves and, most interesting of all, the controversial stem-cell therapy to regenerate the failed myocardium. It would not be unexpected to find these last two topics at the core of the next edition of the book. Assessment This is a needed update and the book certainly stands tall among successful similar textbooks ( Mastery of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 2nd edition, Kaiser et al. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007)) as well as newly released manuals (The Johns Hopkins Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery, by Yuh et al.(McGraw-Hill, 2007)) for the amount of information it provides as well as the prestigious level of the contributors. It is a reliable and updated resource that, despite the wealth of data, remains easily readable and well organized and illustrated. The DVD is a fascinating new feature and a significant step toward a better understanding of modern surgical techniques. Review Questionnaire Range Question Score 1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 10 1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 10 1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5 1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5 1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5 1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? 5 1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. 5 1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient references? 5 1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 5 1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 5 1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 5 1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book N/A 1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 10 1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? 10 ©2010 Doody Enterprises, Inc.