Family doctor series.Over 30000 heart operations are performed every year in the UK. Heart surgery has only been around for just over 40 years and there has been enormous progress resulting in a safer procedure and better outcome for the patient. You would be surprised at the number of well-known people who have had a heart operation as recovery is so complete. There is an enormous amount of fear and mystery-surrounding heart surgery. This book aims to dispel some or all of that fear and to explain every aspect of what is involved from how the heart works and is affected by disease through the operation itself to what to expect afterwards.Mr. Jonathan Hyde: Mr. Hyde is & Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton and Tutor in Cardiothoracic and Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He specialises in adult cardiac surgery.Mr. Timothy R. Graham: Mr. Graham is both a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham. He is currently involved in the care of patients undergoing all forms of adult cardiac surgery.Dr. Tony Smith: Family Doctor Publications' Medical Editor-in-Chief was for many years Deputy Editor of the British Medical Journal and continues to work as an Associate Editor. He is the Medical Editor of both the Complete Family Health Encyclopedia and the Family Home Adviser.We regret the author(s) are unable to enter into correspondence with readers.The British Medical Association (BMA): The British Medical Association is the professional body that looks after doctors' interests speaks on their behalf and keeps their scientific knowledge up to date through meetings and publications.