Letter from the Editor and the President

New Kids on the Block

The alert reader will already have noticed, just from looking at the frontispiece, that there has been a profound rearrangement of the Editorial Board. Some familiar names have vanished, either because of new duties, to get a break, or simply because of age. Others have appeared, and the whole structure looks different somehow. Let us explain.

As The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon represents the scientific organ of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG), the executive board of this society will function as Associate Editors from now on. According to the various terms of office, a subtle but continuous change will occur over time: a first vice-president will become president, with a new second vice-president coming into office, and so on. This board of associates guarantees that the interests and policies of the Society continue to be represented by and through this very journal.

The most profound innovation is the new Editorial Board. This consists of, at the present time, 17 members, each representing a particular field of interest. With the growing subspecialization of cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery it seemed prudent to have as many aspects as possible covered by an expert. The people you find on this board were carefully chosen by the Society and were elected for a term of three years with the possibility of a renewal. A submitted manuscript of an original paper will be sent to the respective board member for review as well as to one or two additional guest reviewers. The board member has the privilege to add a short commentary to be published along with an accepted paper if he considers it to be of particular interest. This is meant to stimulate discussion with the readers – who are also most welcome to provide the Editor-in-Chief with commentaries if they feel that a paper deserves public discussion.

We are very proud that we were able to recruit four representatives from our neighbouring disciplines and scientific societies. Godehard Friedel, an old hand on the journal, will, as its president, continue to represent the German Society of Thoracic Surgery (DGT). Karl Heinz Orend has the exciting new task to evaluate any manuscripts dealing with vascular surgery beyond the aorta and to provide the expertise of the German Society of Vascular Surgery (DGG). With these two board members we hope to stimulate the mutual exchange with our two “sister societies” and their members. Georg Nickenig and Wolfram-Hubertus Zimmermann were suggested by the German Cardiac Society (DGK) to represent our partners in cardiology both clinically and on the rapidly expanding field of basic science.

The remaining 13 board members are well-known experts in their respective fields of interest. It should be emphasized that “extracorporeal circulation” is represented as well by a medical as by a technical expert, and that the category “intensive care medicine” is also a novel one. We are actively looking for manuscripts dealing with these topics which are so vital not only for the patients but for every cardiac surgeon.

This German-focussed Editorial Board is supported by the International Advisory Board, experts from across the world, many of whom have been supporting this journal for years. We are glad that our Austrian neighbours agreed to be represented by their current president, Alfred Meier, thoracic surgeon from Graz, and by Martin Grabenwöger, cardiac surgeon and aortic specialist from Vienna. The Swiss community is also featured by their current president, Thierry Carrel from Berne, our aortic expert on the Editorial Board. With the regular DACH-meetings every four years having become such a renowned forum of scientific exchange across the borders of the German-speaking countries, this journal offers the necessary platform for continued in-depth discussion in writing. As there has been a continuous flow of submissions from the Far East over many years, it seemed a logical consequence to extend the international board in this direction. Shinji Miyamoto from Oita and Go Watanabe from Tokyo are two distinguished Japanese surgeons and researchers who agreed to share their expertise.

A large bulk of work is done by the anonymous army of Guest Reviewers. Virtually every manuscript which makes it into the reviewing process is seen by at least one guest reviewer. There are currently about 150 of them. They will all be listed and thanked for their voluntary work in the first issue of The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon each year, starting in 2011. This is the least we can do to acknowledge their invaluable contributions without which our peer-review policy would be doomed to fail. Let us take this opportunity to send a heart-felt thank-you to all of you. You shall be acknowledged.

Finally, we wish to thank the Old Boys whose names are no longer on the first page. Some of them have retired from active surgery, some are currently busy with clinical or scientific projects too time-consuming to leave them the space necessary to do justice to a regular rush of submitted manuscripts. One or the other may reappear on the board when his tenure allows it. Meanwhile, thank you for all the time you sacrificed in the past and will perhaps continue to sacrifice in the future as occasional guest reviewers. It is the quality of the peer-review which determines the scientific significance of a journal, and the double-blinded fashion in which The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon has done this with your continued support for many years can be regarded as very high standard. Your enduring support is much appreciated.

This is the story behind the reorganization of the editorial structures of this journal. It is meant to blow a fresh breeze between its pages in the hope to stimulate the interest of both the readers as well as the authors. As has been said before, the greatest reward for a journal is when its readers turn into dedicated contributors – and we welcome you to take that step, promising to give you any editorial support you might need. The current issue 7/2010 presents a variety of papers covering a broad spectrum of subjects. This reflects the scope of manuscripts received on an almost daily basis which we would like to preserve and even extend. The choice of board members will hopefully motivate potential authors to consider submitting a treasured piece to a highly motivated new panel.

It is not exactly a boy band from Boston who is running The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon from now on, and we certainly won't be producing bubblegum pop. On the other hand you can take it for granted that there will be fresh sounds and enthusiastic moves galore. To say it with the words of the eponymous New Kids on the Block: “You (i.e. the readers) Got It – The Right Stuff” and “Didn't I (i.e. the Society) Blow Your Mind This Time?” Betcha we did!