The STS Cardiothoracic Surgery E-Book has achieved a new benchmark in cardiovascular surgery education. Originally designed to be the most complete and authoritative resource about cardiothoracic surgery, the E-Book has evolved to meet the changing needs of its users.
The E-Book is used by more than 100 institutions as the premier resource for cardiothoracic surgeons, trainees, and medical students. It also contains valuable information for other providers of cardiothoracic patient care, including ICU physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and perfusionists. Authored and edited by more than 800 leading surgeons from around the globe, it is a continuously updated compendium of international expertise.
A trusted resource
Key benefits of the E-Book are speed and accessibility of medical information, providing immediate answers at the point of care.
“Medical information is updated in the E-Book much more rapidly than what’s contained in conventional paper-based textbooks. And that makes better medical outcomes possible and enhances efficiency,” said Jeffrey P. Jacobs, MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics, University of Florida. “It allows healthcare professionals to access data from their phones while in the clinic, intensive care unit, patient care wards, or operating theater.”
Ara Vaporciyan, MD, professor of surgery and chairman of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, relies on the E-Book for information on the latest drug approvals, which can be difficult to monitor because of the accelerated pace of the FDA’s drug approval process.
According to Dr. Vaporciyan, “The number of drugs approved for lung cancer in just the last two years is greater than those approved in the last 15 years. New classes of drugs have been developed between printed publication release dates, which means the old, standard textbook model doesn’t work anymore. Surgeons can’t wait for essential, life-saving information.”
A rich multimedia educational experience
The E-Book is divided into two volumes: Pearson’s General Thoracic Surgery and Adult and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. The former is an updated expansion of the renowned Pearson’s thoracic textbook, covering esophageal and other thoracic procedures, while the latter features original content on adult, pediatric, and congenital cardiac procedures.
Content is synthesized and distilled by experienced editors who translate the latest research and practice guidelines into logical, clinically significant information to prevent, diagnose, and treat cardiac, vascular and general thoracic diseases. More than 350 interactive chapters offer a rich multimedia educational experience. It includes hand-drawn medical illustrations, photographs, and surgical videos, making complex procedures more accessible and understandable.
“The ability to view videos of the various operative approaches to different malformations and pathologies in the E-Book allows surgeons and trainees to prepare for an operation with tremendous efficiency,” added Dr. Jacobs. “It represents the next generation of cardiothoracic surgical education and training.”
New digital features and expanded knowledge
New enhancements to further elevate the utility of the E-Book and improve the user experience focus on navigation. Information is structured and organized to make it easier to find and explore, which is invaluable for surgeons on the go.
New features introduced this year include:
- A searchable indexable video library, making it quick and easy to identify and index educational videos among the vast selection;
- More than 100 user-generated educational videos have been added to the system;
- Ease of access to:
- STS Adult Cardiac Risk Calculators
- Evidence-based publications, such as clinical practice guidelines, expert consensus documents, and white papers;
- Inclusion of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery top-rated, award-winning abstracts.
“The E-Book is transformative,” says STS President Jennifer C. Romano, MD, MS. “It’s easily accessible whether you are on a smartphone or computer, and most importantly, the chapters are written by experts and easy to digest. It gives me and my colleagues the facts we need to take care of the problem in front of us today.”
STS members can contribute to the ever-growing E-Book library by submitting video content. Submissions, which must follow specific video guidelines, add to the resource’s dynamic and interactive nature. The user-generated content functionality encourages collaboration among surgeons worldwide, cultivates ideas, and drives innovation.
“The greatest value of the E-Book comes from the fact that it was built by leaders in our field, which means the resources and information have been reviewed and verified by trustworthy surgeons,” said David Blitzer, MD, congenital cardiac surgery fellow, Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “It is a living resource, and the STS is committed to keeping it updated and relevant for trainees and practicing surgeons. The continuing addition of surgical videos to the e-book will only make this more valuable over time.”