Main description:

Great innovations take place within great institutions. Founded in 1819, Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is one of Canada's oldest hospitals and has created a nurturing environment for early Canadian innovations in heart surgery. The Heartbeat of Innovation tells the story of the brilliant surgeons who worked there and the hospital environment that provided an incubator to the many people - skilled perfusionists, dedicated nurses, and pioneering cardiologists - who participated in the revolution in heart surgery that took place along University Avenue in Toronto.

Supported by historical records, hospital archives, personal memoirs, and interviews, this book is an extensive and descriptive account of the seemingly inexorable development of cardiac surgery at this leading academic health science centre. It pursues several themes: the complexity of this surgical specialty, its generally male-dominated nature, the trend toward teamwork in practice, and the evolution and incorporation of original research into this branch of healthcare. These strands are woven together to demonstrate how the TGH has evolved into such a dominant leader in the competitive and demanding field of cardiac surgery. Canadian hearts may beat with pride at the knowledge that one of the major stories in modern medicine took place here - and continues here.

Contents:

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction

Part One: Getting Going

1. Gordon Murray
2. Uncle Bill
3. "Bigelow's Boys"
4. Hypothermia Discovered
5. First Operations
6. Homes
7. Pacemaker

Part Two: Full Speed Ahead

8. Bypass
9. Moving On
10. Pacemaker Clinic
11. Ron Baird
12. The Damaged Heart
13. Valves
14. Training
15. Research

Part Three: The Team

16. Cardiologists
17. Nurses
18. Perfusionists
19. Anesthetists

Part Four: Today

20. Tirone David
21. Vivek Rao
22. Peter Munk Cardiac Centre
23. Next Gen
24. Conclusion

Appendix I: The Local, Regional, National, and International Impact of Residents and Fellows Who Trained and Studied at the Toronto General Hospital

Appendix II: TGH Cardiac Surgeons Who Have Been Honoured by Awards and Elective Leadership Positions for Their Outstanding Contributions to Heart and Healthcare

Appendix III: Leadership Other Than Awards