Magna viderunt a longe. History of cardiovascular surgery (the 20th anniversary of the First International Conference dedicated to the memory of V.I. Bourakovsky, Moscow, September 24-25, 1996)

20 years after the First International Conference dedicated to the memory of Academician of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences V.I. Bourakovsky the analysis of reports of world-renowned cardiovascular surgeons on this forum is presented here, now from the standpoint of the present day. Modern readers can trace the development of different directions of cardiac and vascular surgery, learn about the role of personality in the historical process, about professional contacts between experts from different countries and much more, that ultimately created a modern multidisciplinary specialty 'cardiovascular surgery'.