The second edition of the book titled “Key Questions in Cardiac Surgery” by Narain Moorjani, Nicola Viola, and Sunil K. Ohri is a valuable addition to the constellation of cardiac surgery books. Its value lies in its concise and yet comprehensive format. This completes the trilogy of key questions series in cardiothoracic surgery, including “Key Questions in Thoracic Surgery” and “Key Questions in Congenital Cardiac Surgery.”
Intraoperative photographs, cartoons, and a vast array of imaging photographs make is highly readable. The aphorism “a picture is equal to thousand words” is aptly demonstrated in this book. The line diagrams are simple and convey the necessary information. The intraoperative photographs are of excellent quality, and it must have been an effort to collate these.
This is the second edition of the book, which was first published in 2011. The format is more and less the same; however, two new chapters on Pulmonary embolism and statistics have been added. The chapter on statistics has simplified a subject that can be very tedious without missing out on any relevant information.
The most relevant advances made in the field of cardiothoracic surgery over the past decade have been updated in the current edition. One of the most informative chapters is on radiological imaging, which includes information on imaging before planning for minimally invasive surgery and transvenous valve implantation in keeping with the newer developments. It would have been useful if the authors had also included a chapter on Robotic surgery, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality in the field of cardiothoracic surgery. Another chapter that should have found a place in this book highlights the role of cardiac surgeons in transvenous valvular interventions.
One of the most extensive chapters is on Heart failure. It concisely describes all treatment options available including the recent advances. The recommended reading at the end of each chapter is very useful for more extensive information for those interested.
The usefulness of the book is not limited to cardiothoracic surgeons alone; it is also relevant to other related specialties, including cardiology, anesthesiology, and intensive care specialists. This is an essential book to have in the departmental library of every Cardiothoracic unit for quick reference. If there were a contest for books on “information per square inch of printed page,” this book is a hands-down winner.
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