It gives us great pleasure to contribute a short introduction outstanding book. This comprehensive work provides an to this important volume. immense fund of information, and will be an invaluable The transplantation of thoracic organs - heart, heart source of knowledge to physicians, surgeons, and scientists lung, lung - is a field of surgery that is expanding annually. for many years to come. The use of mechanical assist devices and artificial hearts to support patients awaiting transplantation is also developing rapidly, and further advances in this field may eventually April 1990...