What Heart Lesions Are Amenable to Surgery?

Abstract

Cardiac surgery is undergoing a transition from blind, often palliative procedures to direct-vision operations which are safer, more effective, and in many instances completely curative. These newer operations have been made possible by the use of extracorporeal circulation. Operations inside the open heart may now be carried on, if necessary, for periods of one to two hours. The results, as well as the mortality rate, are much improved.