The future of cardiac surgery: find opportunity in change!

Many cardiac surgeons are worried about their current position and importance, and even more about how they will evolve in the coming years. The development of endovascular techniques is considerably changing patient care and will most probably continue to expand as patients express their preference for less-invasive interventions. As a result, cardiac surgery has already dramatically changed, as reflected by the dramatic reduction in open surgical bypass cases. Change is happening, but change will not necessarily imply a negative future. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Cardiac surgeons are ready and willing to Find Opportunity in Change. Change is nothing new to cardiac surgery. Since its inception, cardiac surgery has faced resistance and required adaptation. It took a lot of pioneers, a lot of leadership and inspiration, for cardiac surgery to become what it is today, a critical part of patient care. For several decades, cardiac surgeons have actually been able to adapt to new technologies, to embrace innovation and drive change. Times are different, but the direction is the same: the ability to change will continue to determine cardiac surgery’s future.