Adult cardiac surgery during the first 50 years of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association

This is a review of some of the outstanding adult cardiac surgical papers presented during the first 50 years of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association to commemorate the 50th Anniversary meeting. Since the founding of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association in 1954 there have been a total 512 adult cardiac surgery and great vessels papers presented, 138 from 1954 to 1970, 157 from 1971 to 1986, and 217 from 1987 to 2002. Since 1964 most of these papers have been published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Forty-three papers were reviewed, the first having been presented in 1956 and the last in 2002. Not all of the papers could be located but the vast majority were retrievable and reviewed. This paper presents a broad spectrum of adult cardiac surgery beginning with early pump technology, early myocardial revascularization including the Vineberg procedure followed by coronary bypass as we know it today, valvular surgery, including several papers on aortic valve homograft and autograft procedures, ventricular aneurysms, aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections. Evaluations of various valve prostheses, cardiac transplantation, mitral valve reconstruction, quality assurance in cardiac surgery, neurobehavioral outcome after cardiac surgery, endocarditis and off-pump coronary bypass surgery were reviewed. We hope that this article is representative of the broad spectrum of issues that have characterized the specialty of cardiothoracic surgery over the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.