Percutaneous Device Closure of the Atrial Septum

Prof. Ulrich Sigwart, Geneva, Switzerland:

Thank you very much for asking me to reflect on this book proposal. I am trying to answer the questions that you have posed. The outline is comprehensive and logically structured. There might be an interest in having a word on previous devices that are no longer available just to keep it complete (SIDERIS, etc.). Whether such a book should be published is a different issue. Most people get the information already at this moment from existing books or on the internet. I do know Stephen Brecker and his work. Stephen has been working with me at the Brompton. He is very serious and if you want to publish the book he could be the right man. My problem with your project is the rapid turn-over of information involved with these devices. Once such a book is published much of the information is already obsolete. Sorry about not being more enthusiastic. At any rate it was very nice hearing from you.

Marco Costa MD, University of Jacksonville FL:

Do you think the outline is comprehensive and logically structured? Would you add or remove any chapters and if so, which ones?

The outline is comprehensive for such a narrow topic. I would consider adding topics to enhance the book's content and appeal - such as "percutaenous valve therapy" and "Ventricular Septal defect". The book title should be "Percutaneous treatment of Structural heart Disease"

* Do you think such a book should be published? Well, the answer is

always yes, it can be published. But there is not much data available for many of these topics. So, how can you publish a book if there is no randomized data on PFO closure?? It will be mostly based on personal experience and retrospective data, at least for PFO.