EACTS Presidential Address The contraindications of today are the indications of tomorrow†.

The author reflects on the exploration of various developments for thoracic and cardio-vascular surgery for future usage. He states that coming up with the focus of the research and development efforts are the essential parts in searching for alternatives. He mentions the new indications for extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECNO) and cardiopulmonary support (CPS) such as the pump-oxygenator. The author adds that instrumentation and visualization issues can be explored for development.