Over the past three decades, the field of cardiovascular intervention has strikingly expanded in terms of technique, 
technology and information. It has gained sound 
acceptance owing to both its short and long-term 
proven benefits. Consequently, the interventionalist 
should be aware about these procedures in a tactile, 
cognitive and clinical sense. 

The authors’ philosophy in writing this book 

is to discuss the potential clinical benefits of 
interventional versus surgical modalities for adult 
cardiovascular disease patients who require either 
percutaneous or surgical interventional procedures.

 This textbook has 64 chapters covering a 
wide range of topics related to cardiovascular and 
extracardiac interventional techniques. They are 
organised into five sections: 1) septal defects and 
valvular heart disease; 2) coronary interventions; 
3) aortic coarctation, aneurysms and dissections; 
4) carotid and cerebral artery interventions, and 5) 
renal and peripheral arterial interventions. 

In general, the chosen topics are well written, 
with easily understood subtitles. The selected 
coloured as well as black and white photos and 
images are lucid with self-explanatory legends. Each 
chapter has an extensive bibliography to support 
the review of the materials presented thus making 
the book attractive to readers.

The data presented provides the latest scientific 
information in techniques and technology as 
well as new surgical alternatives. The chapters on 
chronic total occlusions and bifurcation lesions 
show that interventional cardiology can be a very 
sophisticated art when fully supported by new and 
refined technology. 

The main strength of this book, as compared 
to others in the same field, lies in the sections on 
the application of new technologies like optical 
coherence tomography (OCT), the increasing role 
of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cardiology, 
as well as new procedures such as transcatheter 
aortic valve implantation (TAVI). In my opinion, 
most interventional cardiologists will find all 

ÌËÜËÜä÷]<ÌâÖ^€π]<ª<ÍÒ^¬Á÷]<9◊œ÷]<ÿ}Çj÷]


BOOK REVIEW

Cardiovascular Interventions in 
Clinical Practice

Authors: Jürgen Haase, Hans-Joachim Schäfers, Horst Sievert, Ron Waksman.
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 1st Edition, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4051-8277-5
Orders: www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

SQU Med J, February 2011, Vol. 11, Iss. 1, pp. 134-135, Epub. 12th Feb 11
Submitted - 6th Dec 10



chapters worth reading, either to refresh their basic 
knowledge or to refine techniques. 

Training and hands-on experience are the 
fundamental foundation for the interventionalist 
and no single text can displace this. There are 
some topics that I found missing in this otherwise 
valuable book. First, vascular access approaches, 
the first and most crucial step in any percutaneous 
technique. Second, the difficulties associated with 
each procedure and tips and tricks to overcome 
these. Third, given that complications related to 
interventional procedures were Gruentzig's (the 
father of interventional cardiology) greatest concern. 
I think the editors did not give the prevention and 
management of complications the central role that 
they should merit. 

This book describes the recent advances in 
the field of cardiovascular intervention. The 
intended audiences, according to the authors, 
include students, residents, general practitioners, 
cardiologists, neurologists and surgeons. I believe 
that the book is not suitable for students, general 
practitioners or even for cardiology residents in 

their early clinical practice. 
Despite these few negative points, a text book like 

Cardiovascular Interventions in Clinical Practice 
can advance the knowledge of an experienced 
interventionalist performing percutaneous  
coronary and peripheral interventions as well as 
being of interest to cardiac surgeons. The editors, 
authors, and publisher must be congratulated 
on delivering a first edition of such high 
quality. Personally, I consider this book to be a 
tremendous addition to the library of cardiologists, 
cardiosurgeons and radiologists interested in 
intervention.

r e v i e w e r

Mansour Sallam
Department of Medicine
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman,
and Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. 

Email: mansoursallam@yahoo.com.

Jürgen Haase, Hans-Joachim Schäfers, Horst Sievert and Ron Waks

Book Review | 135