PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH SURGERY OF THE HEART AND THE GREAT VESSELS

Abstract

THE OBJECT of this paper is to present some of the technical difficulties encountered in sixty-seven operations performed for congenital cardiovascular lesions during the past twenty months. The history of the advance in this field of surgery and the methods of diagnosis can be obtained from the bibliography. PROBLEMS COMMON TO CONGENITAL CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY Anticipation of difficulties during surgery is of prime importance. The patient must be in as good a condition as possible, and there must be adequate blood available and one member of the team ready at all times to administer it as rapidly as needed. The anesthetist and the surgeon should be in complete accord and must have confidence in each other. Well trained surgical assistants and surgical nurses are essential. Surgery on dogs again has proved itself a necessary part of the experimental surgical department; without it the technic and team work required to prepare for