ATLAS OF CARDIAC SURGERY: A Comprehensive Illustrated Guide to Operative Techniques, Step-by-Step Procedures, and Evidence-Based Outcomes for Cardiothoracic Residents, Fellows, and Surgeons

A Complete Operative Reference for Every Stage of Cardiothoracic Practice with Images Cardiac surgery demands precise anatomical knowledge, sound intraoperative judgment, and a structured approach to complications. This atlas was written to serve every practitioner who operates on the heart and great vessels, from the resident encountering these procedures for the first time to the experienced surgeon seeking a structured reference for complex and unusual cases. Every chapter follows the same architecture: anatomical foundations, operative indications, step-by-step technical description, intraoperative decision-making, evidence-based outcomes, and complication management specific to that procedure. What This Atlas Covers Part One establishes the surgical foundations underlying every cardiac operation, covering the operative anatomy of the heart and great vessels, cardiopulmonary bypass principles and circuit management, myocardial protection strategies, cardioplegia protocols, and surgical incision options. Part Two covers coronary artery surgery in full technical detail, including on-pump and off-pump bypass grafting, conduit harvest, anastomotic technique, acute myocardial infarction complications such as ventricular septal rupture and free wall rupture, and redo coronary surgery in patients with prior grafting and limited conduit. Part Three addresses valve surgery across the full spectrum. Aortic valve replacement with mechanical and biological prostheses, aortic valve repair, valve-sparing root replacement, composite root replacement, annular enlargement, and the Ross procedure each receive dedicated chapters. Minimally invasive aortic valve surgery is covered separately. Mitral valve repair for degenerative and functional disease covers ring annuloplasty, leaflet resection, chordal replacement, and edge-to-edge repair. Mitral surgery for rheumatic disease, endocarditis, and valve replacement are addressed alongside minimally invasive and robotic mitral approaches. Tricuspid repair and replacement, pulmonary valve surgery, and multi-valve procedures complete this section. Part Four covers thoracic aorta surgery including ascending aorta and proximal arch replacement, total arch reconstruction with cerebral protection, acute aortic dissection management, and thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. Part Five covers congenital heart surgery including septal defect repair, tetralogy of Fallot, adult congenital disease, and coarctation repair. Parts Six and Seven address surgical heart failure therapy, left ventricular reconstruction, ventricular assist devices, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and the total artificial heart. Part Eight covers orthotopic heart transplantation, heart-lung transplantation, and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Part Nine covers the Cox-Maze procedure, surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmia management, and epicardial pacing. Part Ten addresses robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery as a unified operative domain. Part Eleven covers preoperative risk stratification, postoperative cardiac intensive care, ventilator and hemodynamic management, and surgical complications including sternal wound infection, perioperative stroke, low cardiac output syndrome, and renal failure. The appendix includes surgical risk scoring tables, normal hemodynamic reference values, cardioplegic solution protocols, anticoagulation protocols, and operative checklists. Who This Atlas Is For This atlas is written for cardiothoracic surgery residents, clinical fellows, and practicing cardiac surgeons. Cardiac anesthesiologists, perfusionists, and scrub technicians working in cardiothoracic surgery will find the procedural descriptions, physiological explanations, and complication recognition sections directly relevant to their practice.