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Patency and the Pump — The Risks and Benefits of Off-Pump CABG

2003; Massachusetts Medical Society; Volume: 350; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1056/nejmp038185

1533-4406

Thomas E. MacGillivray, Gus J. Vlahakes,

Medical History and Innovations

In 1883, the eminent Viennese surgeon Theodor Billroth declared, "Let no man who hopes to retain the respect of his medical brethren dare to operate on the human heart." Billroth articulated what was at that time common knowledge. The heart was the impenetrable temple of life, the violation of which would result in certain death for the patient. Despite an increasing appreciation and understanding of cardiac pathology, surgery on the heart was an absolute noli me tangere until the middle part of the 20th century.The heart–lung machine, which maintains perfusion to the body while the heart is stopped during . . .