Definition Cardiac tumors include benign and malignant neoplasms arising within the cardiac chambers or in the myocardium. Metastatic neoplasms to the heart are not included. Historical Note First recognition of a heart tumor is attributed to Columbus in 1559, followed…
Definition Cardiac trauma is damage done to the heart by penetrating or nonpenetrating injuries. Section I Penetrating Cardiac Trauma Historical Note The first suggestion that wounds of the heart and great vessels could be sutured may have been by Roberts…
Section I Bradycardia Definition Abnormal bradycardia is a slow cardiac rate that results chronically or episodically in inadequate cardiac output or life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Historical Note During the early 1700s, peripheral pulsations of the circulation began to be timed, and in…
Definition This chapter discusses regurgitation and stenosis of the tricuspid valve in those uncommon situations in which it occurs as an isolated lesion, as well as tricuspid valve disease associated with mitral or combined mitral and aortic valve disease. Mitral…
Definition Acquired diseases of both the aortic and mitral valves severe enough to require simultaneous surgery (replacement, repair, or valvotomy) are considered in this chapter. Because tricuspid valve disease may form part of this spectrum and require simultaneous surgery, it…
Definition This chapter describes the surgical aspects of aortic valve disease, excluding congenital aortic stenosis in infants and children (see Chapter 47 ) and aortic regurgitation with either ventricular septal defect (see Chapter 35 ) or sinus of Valsalva aneurysm…
Section I Mitral Valve Disease Definition This chapter describes surgical aspects of acquired mitral valve disease, excluding ischemic mitral regurgitation (see Chapter 10 ). Associated or secondary tricuspid valve disease is also considered (see Section II of this chapter and…
Definition Mitral regurgitation due to ischemic heart disease (ischemic mitral regurgitation) is mitral regurgitation caused by ischemic heart disease. This entity must not be confused with mitral regurgitation from other causes that coexist with ischemic heart disease. Historical Note Mitral…
Definition Postinfarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) is an opening in the ventricular septum resulting from rupture of acutely infarcted myocardium. Historical Note In 1847, Latham first described a postinfarction VSD at autopsy, but it was not until 1923 that Brunn…
Definition A postinfarction left ventricular (LV) aneurysm is a well-delineated transmural fibrous scar, virtually devoid of muscle, in which the characteristic fine trabecular pattern of the inner surface of the wall has been replaced by smooth fibrous tissue. In such…