The Journey of an Indian-American Pediatric Cardiologist - A Memoir

The life journey of an Indian-American pediatric cardiologist, who bestowed considerable attention to the development of new knowledge and train/teach physicians around the world while providing care of patients with heart disease over a 50-year period, is the subject of this book. The field of Pediatric Cardiology was in early development when the author began his carrier in mid-1960s. The author had the opportunity to witness first hand the stepwise evolution of Pediatric Cardiology over the last 50 years. Unique historical perspective, therefore, can be provided. This book describes these developments along with the author's contributions to Pediatric Cardiology. The purpose of this book is to bring together the advances in Pediatric Cardiology, particularly the management of congenital heart defects. Along the way, art and science of interventional pediatric cardiology will be presented, as applicable to each chapter.

I was encouraged by my friends and classmates to write a memoir reviewing my scientific accomplishments, particularly by my college (Mrs. A. V. N. College, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India) and medical school (Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam) classmate, Dr. Gopalrao Nemana, a retired cardiologist from Sacramento, California. But, I did not want to undertake such a task, given my health and other academic commitments. Suddenly, Dr. K. C. Chaudhuri Foundation/Indian Journal of Pediatrics bestowed upon me the honor of Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017; the award required that I present an "Oration" outlining my lifetime accomplishments at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in September 2017. It was also required that the oration is published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics. The published oration (Rao PS. The Journey of an Indian Pediatric Cardiologist: Dr. K. C. Chaudhuri Lifetime Achievement Award/Oration at AIIMS, New Delhi, September 2017. Indian J Pediat 2017; 84:848-58.) rekindled the thought of writing the memoir and forms the outline for this book. The field of Pediatric Cardiology was in early development when I began my carrier in mid-1960s. I had the opportunity to witness first hand the stepwise evolution of Pediatric Cardiology over the last 50 years. Therefore, unique historical perspective can be provided. I have bestowed considerable attention to the development of new knowledge while providing care of patients with heart disease over a 50-year period. These developments along with my contributions to Pediatric Cardiology were included in a companion book entitled "Pediatric Cardiology: How It Evolved Over the last 50 Years". In this memoir I will portray my journey and include subjects that are not in the purview of evolution of Pediatric Cardiology. Along the way, art and science of interventional pediatric cardiology will be presented, as applicable to each chapter in both books. Developments such as early detection of the neonates with serious heart disease and their rapid transport to tertiary care centers, availability of highly sensitive noninvasive diagnostic tools, advances in neonatal care and anesthesia, progress in trans-catheter interventional procedures and extension of complicated surgical procedures to the neonate and infant have advanced to such a degree that almost all congenital cardiac defects can be diagnosed and "corrected". The defects that could not be corrected could be effectively palliated. Cardiac defects that were once fatal in infancy are now treatable. These principles will be incorporated into the respective chapters, as applicable. Although every attempt was made to minimize repetition, there was some degree of replication which was unavoidable to preserve continuity of thought/discussion.

Dr. P. Syamasundar Rao is Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine and Emeritus Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas. Dr. Rao received his medical degree from Andhra Medical College/University, Visakhapatnam, India where he subsequently served internship and began pediatric training. Following completion of pediatric training in USA, he received training in Pediatric Cardiology at Stanford University, Case-Western Reserve University and University of California at Los Angeles. After training he joined the faculty at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA in 1972, then rose to the rank of Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Director of Pediatric Cardiology by 1979. His subsequent positions were Consultant Pediatric Cardiologist and Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Professor and Director of Division of Pediatric Cardiology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin and Professor and Director, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine/Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Rao authored 380 papers, 14 monographs/books and 140 book chapters. He had 230 abstract presentations at various national and international scientific societies and his invited presentations were more than 150. He lectured and made catheter intervention demonstrations in a number of countries including India, USA, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand and Sweden. Dr. Rao's honors include Award for Outstanding Contribution to Pediatric Cardiology, presented by Telugu Association of North America, John Lind's Lecture at Swedish Pediatric Association, Gothenburg, Sweden, Meritorious Service Award from Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners of the Americas, Outstanding Service Award from Healing the Children of Wisconsin, Outstanding Scientist Award from American Association of Cardiologists of Indian Origin, Kreidberg's Lecture at Tufts University/New England Medical Center, Boston, MA, Recognition Award for Medical Contribution by North American Telugu Association, Houston, TX, ATA Distinguished Award in Medicine by American Telugu Association, Atlanta, GA. Dean's Best Teacher's Award, and Dr. K. C. Chaudhuri Lifetime Achievement Award/Oration at AIIMS, New Delhi. Dr. Rao's special interests are physiologically advantageous ventricular septal defects, tricuspid atresia and transcatheter management of heart defects in children. He is a pioneer in interventional pediatric cardiology and made many contributions in catheterization and angiography in 1970s, balloon angioplasty/valvuloplasty in 1980s and transcatheter catheter closure of cardiac defects in 1990s, developed new pediatric cardiology/pediatric cardiovascular surgery program in 2000s and developing educational programs and teaching material for physicians in 2010s.