The next decade in cardiovascular surgery

Abstract

Less than a generation ago only a few hardy souls had the courage to deny that the summit in Cardiovascular Surgery had been attained. As late as 1947 Castiglione listed repair of heart wounds, myocardial revascularization, blood vessel anastomosis, repair of aneurysms, closure of the patent ductus and resection of the constrictive pericardium as significant advances. He cited the latter two as the best surgical accomplishments in heart disease. The record was not unimpressive but the story was bleak since it exhibited not even an inkling of the intellectual dissatisfaction and investigative effort which produced the advances which daily contribute so much to human welfare. Anyone who has been active in this field through this period of explosive progress has a perspective radically different from previous generations. It is clear that the surface hardly has been scratched and that the summit is not discernible in the forseeable future. From the defects which become apparent with each day’s experience with these brilliant achievements one can identify these areas in which improvement can be expected rather promptly.