A historical perspective to current review of myocardial protection in cardiac operation.
Review
Overview
abstract
In the discussion of the 1955 landmark study on the first series of open heart operation using the cross-circulation technique, Lillehei stated that, "The solution of many difficult problems in medicine has ultimately been simple and in most cases obvious once sufficient basic knowledge has been brought to bear on the problem." Indeed, a few surgeons have provided the guiding lights in the development of cardiac operation, but it is the acquisition of basic knowledge by thousands of surgeons and basic scientists that have contributed to its goals.
