This long-awaited book is an autobiographical account by Professor Alain Carpentier of his work on the surgical management of heart valve disease and in particular that of the mitral valve. Although it includes reference to surgery on the tricuspid and aortic valves its major attraction will be the complete exposé of the author's techniques and rationale behind his ‘school’ of mitral valve reconstruction.
The growing interest in reconstructive mitral valve surgery is well served by the production of this book. It describes the principal author's pioneering surgical stratagem and practical procedures derived during 40 years' experience. The target readership is undoubtedly all of those cardiac surgeons interested in the reconstruction of dysfunctional heart valves.
Question and answer sessions at the end of each chapter help to draw out detail that otherwise personal explanations may conceal. The other strength of this book is the clarity of the artwork. The inclusion of well-executed drawings (mainly watercolour washes supervised by the author and based on his preliminary sketches), with photographs, echocardiographic images and tables leave the reader in no doubt of the surgical steps that are intended.
The didactic manner of teaching used by Professor Carpentier, while clearly delivering the intended message, also shows a degree of reluctance to acknowledge some other points of view. For example, in discussing the presence or absence of the mitral annulus, the author insists on its reality while reporting the anatomist's demonstrations of its non-existence. It is nonetheless well referenced, allowing independent verification of the data that are included within the text.
The book does achieve the author's stated aim that: ‘This book is not a “compendium” of all existing techniques of valve repair. It describes a comprehensive system of valve analysis and reconstructive techniques validated in more than 10,000 patients in (my) institution’. It will become an account treasured by all of those cardiac surgeons who owe a debt of gratitude to this pioneering surgeon.