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DM Superspecialty · Book Guide

Books for DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology.

What DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology residents and departments actually read in 2026 — with journals, a year-wise reading plan, and the references you will need for your thesis and exit practical.

15Titles on the reference list
9Current-edition picks
3 yearsReading plan included
Reference reading list

The reference reading list for DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology

These 15 titles are the standard references for Cardiac Anaesthesiology, drawn from the NBE DrNB curriculum and the texts Indian teaching departments work from. Each is shown with the edition in circulation now, so you can print or buy the right one first time.

  1. Kaplan's Cardiac Anesthesia: Perioperative and Critical Care ManagementJoel A. Kaplan, John G. T. Augoustides, Gerard R. Manecke, David L. Reich · 8th editionThe principal reference text for the speciality, named first in the NBE book list.
  2. Hensley's Practical Approach to Cardiothoracic AnesthesiaGlenn P. Gravlee, Frederick A. Hensley Jr., Donald E. Martin · 6th editionNBE-listed practical handbook used day-to-day in the cardiac theatre.
  3. Kaplan's Essentials of Cardiac AnesthesiaJoel A. Kaplan · 2nd editionCondensed single-volume version of Kaplan's, listed by NBE for revision.
  4. Oxford Textbook of Cardiothoracic AnaesthesiaR. Peter Alston, Paul S. Myles, Marco RanucciNBE-listed reference covering thoracic as well as cardiac anaesthetic practice.
  5. Comprehensive Textbook of Perioperative Transesophageal EchocardiographyRobert M. Savage, Solomon Aronson, Stanton K. Shernan · 2nd editionNBE-listed standard for intraoperative TEE views, measurement and reporting.
  6. Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Mechanical Support: Principles and PracticeGlenn P. Gravlee, Richard F. Davis, John W. Hammon, Barry Kussman · 4th editionThe standard reference on bypass circuitry, anticoagulation and mechanical support.
  7. Pediatric Cardiac AnesthesiaCarol L. Lake, Peter D. BookerNBE-listed text for congenital heart disease and paediatric bypass management.
  8. Cardiac Anesthesia: Principles and Clinical PracticeFawzy G. Estafanous, Paul G. Barash, J. G. RevesNBE-listed multi-author reference on cardiovascular anaesthetic pharmacology and practice.
  9. Cardiac Anaesthesia: A Practical HandbookNian Chih Hwang, Lian Kah TiNBE-listed pocket handbook for trainees starting cardiac theatre lists.
  10. Cardiac and Vascular Anesthesia: The Requisites in AnesthesiologyJacqueline M. LeungNBE-listed concise requisites volume covering cardiac and vascular cases.
  11. Textbook of Critical CareYatin MehtaNBE-listed Indian critical care text for postoperative cardiac ICU management.
  12. Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography: A Companion to Kaplan's Cardiac AnesthesiaDavid L. Reich, Gregory W. FischerCase-based TEE companion used for echocardiography certification preparation.
  13. Essentials of Cardiac Anesthesia for Noncardiac SurgeryJoel A. Kaplan, Brett Cronin, Timothy M. MausCovers anaesthesia for the cardiac patient presenting for non-cardiac surgery.
  14. Miller's AnesthesiaMichael A. Gropper, Lars I. Eriksson, Lee A. Fleisher, Neal H. Cohen, Kate Leslie, Oluwaseun Johnson-Akeju · 10th editionConsulted for the cardiovascular physiology, monitoring and bypass chapters.
  15. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular MedicinePeter Libby, Robert O. Bonow, Douglas L. Mann, Gordon F. Tomaselli, Deepak L. Bhatt, Scott D. SolomonBackground cardiology reference for valvular, ischaemic and congenital heart disease.

Source: NBE DrNB curriculum for Cardiac Anaesthesiology

What residents actually use

Current editions, and what each one is for

The books most residents actually buy. These are the editions in circulation now, with a note on whether each is something you read through, keep as a reference, or open only for the viva.

  1. Kaplan's Cardiac Anesthesia: In Cardiac and Noncardiac SurgeryKaplan, Augoustides, Manecke, Maus, Reich (eds) · 8th edition · core referenceThe single anchor text for DM Cardiac Anaesthesia in India.
  2. A Practical Approach to Cardiac AnesthesiaHensley, Gravlee, Martin, Ungerleider (eds) · 6th edition · practical coreThe readable working manual most residents finish first; strong on case-by-case conduct.
  3. Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Mechanical Support: Principles and PracticeGravlee, Davis, Hammon, Kussman (eds) · 4th edition · CPB referenceThe reference for bypass physiology, circuit management and anticoagulation, all examined in the viva.
  4. Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography / Comprehensive Textbook of Perioperative TEEMathew, Swaminathan, Ayoub / Perrino, Reeves · TEE coreIntraoperative TEE is a mandatory practical station; used with the ASE/SCA comprehensive examination guidelines.
  5. Miller's AnesthesiaGropper, Cohen, Eriksson, Fleisher, Leslie, Wiener-Kronish (eds) · 10th edition · general referenceBase anaesthesia reference for the basic-sciences and allied theory papers.
  6. Anesthesia for Congenital Heart DiseaseAndropoulos, Stayer, Mossad, Miller-Hance (eds) · 4th edition · paediatric cardiac referenceEssential given the paediatric congenital cardiac load in Indian DM units.
  7. Cardiothoracic Critical Care / Cardiac Intensive CareSidebotham, McKee, Gillham, Levy (eds) / Brown, Jaber (eds) · post-operative ICU referenceCovers low cardiac output syndrome, mechanical support and post-cardiotomy care.
  8. Braunwald's Heart Disease (relevant chapters)Libby, Bonow, Mann, Tomaselli, Bhatt, Solomon (eds) · 12th edition · cardiology backgroundNeeded for the cardiology pathophysiology examined in the basic-sciences paper.
  9. SCA/ASE, EACTS/EACTA and STS guidelines (current)Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists / American Society of Echocardiography / EACTS / STS · guideline setPatient blood management, TEE performance and ERAS-cardiac recommendations are examinable.
Reading plan

What to read, and when

Three years of superspecialty training goes faster than it sounds, and most of it is spent on the floor. The order below is what works for most DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology residents.

Year 1

Build the base

Read Hensley's A Practical Approach to Cardiac Anesthesia in full while doing routine adult cardiac lists, revise cardiac physiology and the relevant Braunwald chapters, and start structured basic TEE views. Register the thesis protocol.

Year 2

Go deep, collect thesis data

Work through Kaplan's Cardiac Anesthesia systematically, read Gravlee during perfusion-focused months, and add Andropoulos for the paediatric cardiac rotation. Log comprehensive TEE studies and take ICU responsibility; collect thesis data.

Year 3

Revise, drill, submit

Second pass of Kaplan's plus cardiothoracic critical care reading, systematic TEE revision against the ASE/SCA guideline views, and weekly mock long cases and CPB/ECMO vivas. Submit the thesis.

Thesis

References for your thesis

Protocol, methodology and reporting standards examiners expect you to have followed.

  • Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia — the Indian society journal and the natural home for the thesis
  • Indian Journal of Anaesthesia and the Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, Anesthesiology, British Journal of Anaesthesia, Anesthesia & Analgesia
  • ICMR National Ethical Guidelines (2017) and CTRI registration for interventional studies
  • ASE/SCA guidelines for standard TEE measurement protocols and STS/EuroSCORE II for risk adjustment
Practical & viva

What the practical actually tests

Cases, spotters and stations that come up again and again in the exit exam.

  • Long case: pre-anaesthetic evaluation and complete anaesthetic plan for valvular, coronary or congenital heart surgery
  • Short cases: cyanotic congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, redo sternotomy, cardiac patient for non-cardiac surgery
  • Transoesophageal echocardiography station: probe handling, standard views, valve and ventricular assessment, post-bypass evaluation
  • Cardiopulmonary bypass viva: circuit components, priming, cannulation, myocardial protection, heparin and protamine management, ACT
  • Haemodynamic monitoring station: pulmonary artery catheter tracings, cardiac output measurement, cerebral oximetry
  • Mechanical circulatory support: IABP, ECMO and ventricular assist device management
  • Instrument, drug and airway viva including double-lumen tubes, pacing wires, cannulae and vasoactive infusions
About the course

DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology in context

DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology (also styled Cardiac Anaesthesia) is a three-year course after MD/DNB in Anaesthesiology. The exit examination follows the NMC PG regulations pattern of four theory papers of 100 marks each together with clinical, practical and viva voce, with an accepted thesis required before appearing. Practicals centre on a pre-anaesthetic long case plus dedicated stations for transoesophageal echocardiography, cardiopulmonary bypass, haemodynamic monitoring and mechanical circulatory support.

Frequently asked

DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology books — questions

Which books should I read for DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology?

The titles on this page are the ones residents and departments actually use, each with the edition in circulation now. Start with the first one listed and add the references as your reading deepens.

Which single book should I start with in DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology?

Kaplan's Cardiac Anesthesia: In Cardiac and Noncardiac Surgery by Kaplan, Augoustides, Manecke, Maus, Reich (eds) is the usual anchor. The single anchor text for DM Cardiac Anaesthesia in India.

How is DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology different from the DNB or MD version?

DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology is a superspecialty course taken after a broad-specialty MD, MS or DNB, so the reading is narrower and deeper. The broad-specialty texts are assumed knowledge by the time you start.

Do I need to buy every book listed?

No. Most residents own two or three and use the department or library copy for the rest. That is exactly why printing selected chapters from a PDF works out cheaper than buying volumes you will open twice.

Can you print these books for me?

We print from the PDF you send us. Send the file on WhatsApp with your page count and whether you want colour, black and white or mixed, and we print, bind and deliver anywhere in India. We do not supply copyrighted book files.

How much does printing cost?

Black and white is 50 paise a page, colour is Rs 1 a page, and binding is Rs 40 per bound volume. A 400-page mixed set with binding usually works out around Rs 300 plus delivery.

Printing your DM Cardiac Anaesthesiology reading?

Send the PDF on WhatsApp — colour Rs 1/page, B&W 50p/page, binding Rs 40. Printed, bound and delivered anywhere in India.

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