Abstract
It was with great interest that I read Moss' excellent summary of data concerning congenital heart disease.1 Of particular interest were the well-taken references concerning Gross' "atrial well" and Lillehei's use of crosscirculation. In that vein, however, there is one inaccuracy in the article. In speaking of repair of patent ductus arteriosus, Moss states that it represents "the oldest of all heart operations." Although the 1939 report by Gross2 did signal the onset of surgical therapy of congenital heart disease, the first successful heart operation was performed by Ludwig Rehn of Frankfurt, Germany in 1896,3 only seven years after Theodor Billroth had declared that, "A surgeon who would attempt such an operation should lose the respect of his colleagues."
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