A short history of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons national cardiac database: perceptions of a practicing surgeon.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database was developed as an initiative to standardize nationwide outcomes in adult cardiac surgery, and it has currently expanded into general thoracic and congenital cardiac surgery databases. For more than 19 years since its inception, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database has grown as a powerful source of risk-adjusted outcomes, large scale scientific contributions, and invaluable information for healthcare policy making. This review article provides a snapshot of the genesis, history, growth, and scientific contributions of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database to stimulate the participation of thoracic surgery programs and maximize its future use for investigational purposes.