Author Description

Expressly created to assist with decision making for surgical treatment of congenital heart defects, this new reference covers all relevant aspects. The Congenital Heart Defects are presented with each chapter devoted to a single malformation, with incidence, morphology, associated anomalies, pathophysiology, diagnosis (including clinical pattern, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization with angiography), indications for surgical treatment, details of surgical treatment, potential complications and literature references. Morphology, pathophysiology and surgical treatment of the defects are explained with schematic drawings, while images taken from morphologic specimens, echocardiographic and angiographic investigations as well as from intra-operative photographs illustrate better than any words the key points of the decision-making process for the surgical treatment of congenital heart defects.