This is the ninth publication in the Cardiovascular Clinic Series and the second of two devoted to cardiac surgery. Dwight E. Harken, MD, is guest editor of this volume and Albert N. Brest, MD, is editor in chief of the series. The contributors are a blue-ribbon panel of America's outstanding cardiac surgeons, including John W. Kirklin, Francis D. Moore, Richard R. Lower, Dwight E. Harken, Agustin Castellanos, Jr, Donald B. Effler, Frank Gerbode, Charles A. Hufnagel, and many others. The editors explore, in considerable detail, virtually all important clinical aspects of cardiac surgery that they believe the clinician requires to (1) recognize whether his patient is a candidate for surgery and (2) to counsel his patient in making this decision. Such knowledge is also necessary for the clinician if he is to continue the patient's management in the postoperative period.
Subjects of particular interest and excellence of presentation included: (1)