Heart Care Info - Heart Disease Prevention & Treatment

European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery/Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery-Reach out for the next decade!

F Beyersdorf - Interactive Cardio Vascular and Thoracic ..., 2011 - Eur Assoc Cardio Surg... Editorial. European Journal of Cardio-thoracic Surgery/Interactive Cardio Vascular and Thoracic Surgery Reach out for the next decade! Friedhelm Beyersdorf * Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany. ...

The goal of scientific journals is to spread new knowledge [1–4], push forward the frontiers of current knowledge in every aspect [5–7], allow publication of creative ideas and form the basis for ongoing innovations. Furthermore, our aims are to present and discuss the results of new or standard forms of treatment and to provide an overview of existing guidelines, accepted treatment strategies and overall to improve the quality of care for patients [8–10]. There is a saying that ‘cardiothoracic surgery is 70% competence and 30% confidence’, and our journals – together with all the other journals in our field – exist to promote skills in both aspects.

During the coming years we will see many advances both in the way results are published, as well as in our surgical techniques and underlying scientific background. This will include an increase in material published on-line, an increased usage of multimedia for teaching purposes, fundamental changes in all kinds of valve surgery, an increased use of surgical revascularization for coronary heart disease based on guidelines and results of prospective controlled trials, significant improvements in treatment with mechanical circulatory support systems, advances in cell, tissue and organ transplantation, as well as advances in the basic sciences.