History of aortic surgery in the world [Chiesa - Minerva Medica]

Every time we are in the operating room and we ask for a De Backey forceps or a Fogarty clamp, every time we describe a thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm according to Crawford’s classification, or reattach an artery with a Carrell patch, we commemorate a little piece of the history of aortic surgery. But do we know the whole story? Aortic surgery is now a mature discipline. However, this is only tank to the ingenuity and the pioneering work of many masters of the past. As several once-challenging aortic procedures become routine operations, it is easy to forget the stories of the innovators who made it possible. This book is a tribute to those great surgeons: a trip back in time and across continents to capture their fascinating accounts. We wish to thank wholeheartedly all the colleagues who contributed to this book. It is a great privilege to have been able to chronicle the origins of endovascular aortic procedures from the pens of the pioneers themselves. Because the origins of open aortic procedures precede our generation, those chapters have been written by the “pupils” of he pioneers, now world-famous surgeons themselves and chiefs of the most important vascular surgery institutions in the world. We have truly enjoyed these amazing and intriguing stories of men and women ahead of their time who invented the techniques, instruments and devices that have crafted aortic surgery into what it is today. Their tales of innovation not only educate, but reinvigorate our love for this discipline