The Journal presents original, exclusive articles on conditions of the chest, heart, lungs, and great vessels where surgical intervention is indicated. An official publication of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association, the journal focuses on techniques and developments in cardiac surgery, pacemaker insertion/removal, lung and esophageal surgeries, heart and lung transplantation, and other procedures. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery ranks in the top 3.3% of the 4,779 scientific journals most frequently cited (Science Citation Index). It is also recommended for initial purchase in the Brandon-Hill study, Selected List of Books and Journals for the Small Medical Library (1997/98 Edition).