The development of valvular heart surgery over the past 50 years (1947-1997): personal recollections.
The development of valvular heart surgery over the past 50 years has required the efforts and creative genius of many surgical pioneers. It has been filled with exhilarating short-term successes and some devastating failures. This article traces the 50 years of persistence and determination that have brought us to a time when the majority of patients with heart valve disease can be returned to a happy and fulfilling life by valvuloplasty or by valve replacement.
Spencer
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FC
Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA.
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000266:history*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000266:history; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans