“In each edition we get more of a perspective on new tools, new trials, and on the whole field of interventional electrophysiology, including using balloons, snares, and cardioplasty — tools that have really come about in the last five years.” – Dr. Kenneth Ellenbogen
We’ve been lucky, but our patients have been especially blessed that the technology has changed a lot with each edition of Clinical Cardiac Pacing, Defibrillation and Resynchronization Therapy, now in its fourth edition. The second and third editions had new information about defibrillators and clinical trials of pacemakers and defibrillators. Cardiac resynchronization therapy became available in the last 15 years or so. There are a lot of new things in this edition that reflect the developments across the entire field, including, for example, device infections and how to manage them. Dr. Wilkoff has been a real pioneer in that field. In each edition we get more of a perspective on new tools, new trials, and on the whole field of interventional electrophysiology, including using balloons, snares, and cardioplasty — tools that have really come about in the last five years. Another big change in the last two editions is that we’ve put the book online. Now readers can see a video, get figures, and access information that’s not in the book.
Dr. Neal Kay, one of my co-editors, had talked about putting together an encyclopedic book that could be used by engineers, clinicians, nurses, people involved in the technical aspects of implanting devices, and people who work for device manufacturing companies. The idea behind the book was that it would have a combination of clinical information, but also some of the basic science behind what we did. Neal was interested and he introduced me to his friend, Dr. Bruce Wilkoff, whom he said would be perfect for the book. Since then, Dr. Chu Pak Lau has joined us because we wanted to make sure the book really reflected what was going on around the world. Dr. Lau is an international authority on pacing and fibrillation and electrical device therapy. He gave us access to the international view and to authors from all over the world.
On a personal level, Clinical Cardiac Pacing is almost like a child I’ve seen grow up over the years, from the first edition to its most recent edition. I hope that when I’m not practicing any more that a next generation will carry it on. I think five, 10, or 15 years from now the book will be about cardiac arrhythmia management and implantable devices. Patients will always have arrhythmias and devices are going to be an important part of the management. They save thousands of lives and improve the quality of life of many, many patients. What those devices will look like and how they will work will no doubt be something none of us can predict. But I want to leave this book behind as our legacy to the medical field and to our patients.
I can certainly envision future editions with more real-time updates and more interaction between the readers and the editors. We love to hear from people who read the book and want to contribute a video or image. Just send it to us. We’ll take a look at it. You never know. It might be in the next edition!
Kenneth Ellenbogen, MD serves as Vice Chairman of Cardiology and Kontos Endowed Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. He also serves as Director of Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing. He is considered to be among the world leaders in cardiac electrophysiology pacing and devices, and maintains special interests in pacemaker development, exploring pacemaker’s roles in treating congestive heart failure, and developing new methods for ablation of atrial fibrillation.
Dr. Ellenbogen is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Council on Clinical Cardiology and the Council on Circulation, and he served as Chairman of the American Heart Association’s Committee on Electrocardiography and Arrhythmias, Education Committee of the Heart Rhythm Society, President of the Richmond American Heart Association and Director of the Cardiology Advisory Board for the V.A. medical system.
A prolific medical author, Dr. Ellenbogen has published more than 150 scientific reports, authored or co-authored more than 100 invited articles and literature Clinical Cardiac Pacing, Defibrillation and Resynchronization Therapy.
Related Authors: Bruce Wilkoff, MD
