Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 2000;8:204
© 2000 Asia Publishing EXchange Pte Ltd
Echocardiography in Adult Cardiac Surgery
Oh Jae Kuen, MD
|
Rochester, Minnesota, USA
|
|
|
Edited by Mohammad Bashar Izzat, John E Sanderson, Martin G St John Sutton
ISBN 1-899066-77-2 • List Price £149.00/US$245.00
Isis Medical Media, Oxford, UK
Echocardiography in Adult Cardiac Surgery
was written by 42 international authors and intended for cardiac surgeons and anesthesiologists who are interested in the use of echocardiography in the operating room. The book consists of three sections: general principles of echo-cardiography; clinical applications of echocardiography; and applications of echocardiography in cardiac surgery. Although the book is intended for cardiac surgeons and anesthesiologists, transthoracic echocardiography is discussed in detail as well as transesophageal echo-cardiography.
It is very much up to date in its content, with detailed presentation of clinically relevant and relatively new echo-cardiographic techniques and information, such as diastolic function, tissue Doppler imaging, and harmonic imaging. What distinguishes this book from most other echocardiography textbooks is the well reproduced figures and emphasis on the utilization of echocardiography for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative manage-ment of patients with various cardiovascular diseases.
The first section gives a succinct technical and theoretical summary of transthoracic and transesophageal echo-cardiography. It provides standard examination techniques and anatomical correlation of transthoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiography. Established training guide-lines are provided, since intraoperative echocardiography can be a technical and clinical challenge that requires sound training standards and should be performed by individuals with adequate training.
Section two is dedicated to clinical applications of echocardiography with more emphasis on valvular diseases. A whole chapter is dedicated to the pulmonary valve and the Ross procedure. Many figures are from transthoracic echocardiography. All pathologies are well represented, except for the chapter on disease of the aorta. This is too brief for such an important topic in echocardiography.
Section three is the jewel of this wonderful textbook, describing numerous applications of echocardiography in cardiac surgery. The writing demonstrates the authors' extensive experience of echocardiography in the operating room. The section starts with a very well-written and comprehensive overview of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography applications, followed by intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound to evaluate atheromatous burden or structural abnormality in the aorta. Many recently developed surgical techniques, such as minimally invasive cardiac surgery, left ventricular volume reduction surgery, and the MIDCAB (minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass) procedure are discussed. There is also an extensive discussion of the anatomy of the mitral valve and the evaluation of that complex structure by multiplane transesophageal echocardiography, which cannot be found in any other textbook on echocardiography. The chapter on echocardiography in the transplanted heart is well balanced, including the evaluation of diastolic function. The textbook ends with the discussion of future tech-nologies in echocardiography by authors who have been pioneers in the development of intraoperative trans-esophageal echocardiography.
As the author of another echocardiography textbook, I found this book to be quite unique and to provide essential information on the use of echocardiography in the operating room. This book being for adult cardiac surgery, there is no chapter on congenital heart disease but there is some discussion of cardiac septa in section two. However, it would be more balanced if there were a few additional chapters in section three describing intra-operative applications in the common congenital heart diseases encountered in adult patients. Overall, this is a very well illustrated textbook from individuals who have extensive experience of echocardiography in adult cardiac surgery. It should attract all interested cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensivists, and any others who are interested in echocardiography in general, with a special emphasis on intraoperative applications.
