Introduction

Abstract

It is now 5 years ago that the book “Assisted Circulation” was issued by Springer. The specific aim of the first volume was to compare and review all possible modes of assisted circulation in contrast to cardiac transplantation. It dealt with counterpulsation by means of intra-aortic balloon pumps, external compression, and assist devices which were under clinical evaluation. Left ventricular and biventricular assistance by means of pulsatile pneumatic and mechanically driven artificial ventricles and nonpulsatile impeller blood pumps were reviewed, as were different methods of extracorporeal circulation in combination with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Rerum enim natura tenebris obvoluta, cum solo analogismo pateat, tota percurranda venit.

Denn die in der Finsternis eingehüllte Natur der Dinge muß, da sie bloß durch den Analogismus offenbar wird, in ihrem ganzen Umfange durchforscht werden.

Malpighi, cited by M. A. Plenciz, “Abhandlung vom Scharlachfieber”, Christian Gottlob Prost, Copenhagen und Leipzig (1779).