“…First-generation Brazilian cardiac surgeons were not just spectators [ 1 ] , but participants in the development of surgical procedures in the treatment of coronary artery disease [ 2 , 3 ] , heart failure [ 4 , 5 ] , valvular heart surgery [ 6 , 7 ] , congenital heart surgery [ 8 - 10 ] and many others [ 11 , 12 ] . In addition, they developed expertise in the manufacture of medical equipment in Brazil, such as heart lung machine [ 13 , 14 ] , oxygenators [ 15 , 16 ] , pacemakers [ 17 ] , valves [ 18 - 20 ] , stents [ 21 ] and many others [ 1 ] .…”