Document Detail


The place of research and the role of academic surgeons in cardiac surgery.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15103588     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The development of the discipline of cardiac surgery was, to a large extent, guided by the vision and research of its pioneers. On the basis of their efforts, all the different areas of cardiac surgery were able to evolve including coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve surgery, surgery of the aorta, congenital heart surgery, surgery for rhythm disorders including the implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators, and surgical treatment of advanced heart failure (for example, heart transplantations and mechanical circulatory support). The continued existence of cardiac surgery and its role in medicine in general will depend, to a significant extent, on the future research activities of its protagonists. Cardiac surgeon-scientists will play a pivotal role since they combine clinical experience with scientific knowledge and intuition which make them able to direct research to topics which will matter in the future. However, research costs money, and state or national funds will be not sufficient to support research as much as is necessary. Funding from third parties such as industry will increasingly be required. Due to this, however, the cardiac surgeon-scientist faces various challenges such as the evaluation of his skill in acquiring funds, conflicts with current ethical standards, conflicts of interest when receiving money from industry, and, as a result of the tough competition in this field, the temptation to commit fraud. The head of a department of cardiac surgery holds an important function as his initiative is decisive for the development of visions for the future and for the employment of surgeon-scientists who pursue visionary research. It will take the combined efforts of surgeon-scientists and departmental heads not only to maintain but to extend the position of cardiac surgery in medicine and society even further.
Authors:
M J Wilhelm; C Schmid; H H Scheld
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon     Volume:  52     ISSN:  0171-6425     ISO Abbreviation:  Thorac Cardiovasc Surg     Publication Date:  2004 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2004-04-22     Completed Date:  2004-11-09     Revised Date:  2005-11-16    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7903387     Medline TA:  Thorac Cardiovasc Surg     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  117-23     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Biomedical Research* / economics,  education,  trends
Capital Financing / economics
Ethics, Clinical
Extracorporeal Circulation / trends
Germany
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Heart-Lung Machine / trends
Humans
Physician's Role*
Quality Assurance, Health Care
Thoracic Surgery* / economics,  education,  trends

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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