May be the best textbook on Surgery in the world
928491
Four stars only for the illustrations style. It has become worse this time than in previous editions, in my humble opinion...
3947392
I had heard that this book was a must read for all aspiring surgeons, so far, I've not been disappointed.
This text details the most recent practices, but also provides a historical perspective, which gives the reader insight into how and why we've developed the current protocols.
The book is LONG and very bulky, is often wordy, and probably contains some extraneous material. There is built-in redundancy which, for me, emphasizes the importance of some of the info.
I highly recommend this for medical students and residents.
148699
One of the most remarkable features of this handbook is that it contains a brief abstract of the most relevant articles about treatment, which is the main division of this book. Also, every subject contains basic important information about every tumor, then information about treatment modalities, planning, dose, etc, in a very practical way.

It has a unique design, very easy to use and to understand which is very helpful. As a manner of fact I think this handbook is one of the best edited in medicine, since it's very easy to use and very, very practical.

I hope in the future we could have a palm or pocket pc version. A must for residents, specially in the first year.
2810767
Everybody considering bariatric surgery or who have had bariatric surgery should read this book. In fact it should be required reading by your bariatric surgeon. It has a wealth of advice, information critical to success and real scenarios to answer any questions, fears or doubts. Thank you to Cynthia Alexander for writing this. And thank you to the Memorial Hospital Bariatric Center for recommending it!!
4791042
I would like to recommend this book to all Ob/Gyn residents who are in training and those practicing. It 's comprehensive and almost involves the most commonly encountered cases.
1329480
The Smart Woman's Guide to Plastic Surgery is incredibly complete and provides comprehensive information on all surgical procedures from face lift, eyelid surgery, nose surgery, breast enlargement, tummy tuck, thigh  lift, liposuction, skin wrinkle surgery and much, much more. There is no  other book available for the layperson that contains so much useful  information presented and illustrated in such an honest and straightforward  manner. Cosmetic surgery is elective surgery and has obvious benefits and  some limitations. Dr. Loftus believes that the patient who has realistic  expectations about what cosmetic surgery can accomplish is much more likely  to make good decisions and achieve a high level of satisfaction. The book  is extremely well illustrated, using line drawings and before and after  photographs. It is also written in a clear, engaging, and friendly fashion.  Medical terminology is avoided wherever possible; and when not possible, a  comprehensive glossary is found in the appendix. Dr. Loftus also includes  information that you would not expect to find in a book about plastic  surgery, including how to evaluate your surgeon, pitfalls of computer  imaging, typical cost of the surgery, selection of prosthetic materials,  and potential complications. The book has been endorsed by a number of  distinguished professors of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
2358282
Concise review of key concepts in the field of General Surgery organized into 33 concise chapters.
The textbook contains 150 multiple choice questions located at the end of the didactic
information in each chapter.
3607206
This is a book that should be on the essential reading list for those planning a career in medicine (surgery). It is truly inspiring, and it provides an interesting history of the early years of thoracic surgery, transfusion medicine, and humanitarian committment. I recommend those who have the opportunity to visit the Bethune Peace Hospital in China, about a two hour drive from Beijing. The Bethune Museum there is wonderful.
1513585
Many times, I see a textbook as a reference, but to actually read the text beyond a reference point is absolutely stultifying -- akin to reading a telephone book.  I'm pleased to report that this text is highly readable and actually has a method (Oslerian) to its organizational presentation.

I appreciate the homage this text pays to historical pioneers as well as present-day leaders in the field.  All of us stand on the shoulders of giants -- and it's good medicine to understand the evolution of the field.  This is true with respect to public policy, historical events, financial realities, disease epidemics and drug development.

The vast majority of palliative care throughout the world remains lay-led.  This will not change in the foreseeable future.  In some ways, this core understanding provides a thoroughly pragmatic and realistic grounding of palliative care within medicine.  But what this textbook gently conveys is the notion that professional leadership and academic tethering of the field makes a genuine difference.  We can't be good at everything -- and letting go of hubris (no matter the academic recognition or professional laurels) is the first step in caring for others.  We can -- and must -- learn from others -- and that's why textbooks are important.

The textbook does not preach, it does not scold, and it does not trick.  When I come to read this textbook, I don't want or need riddles or contrived intuition -- I just need some background and thoughtful options.  I think the authors have aimed well!  Because the "certification" of palliative care in the USA is so new (2006), some of the text materials in the field were brought too quick to market (in my humble opinion) and really lack for poor or cursory editing.

Like palliative care itself, developing a textbook is a process.  I hope there will be a next edition and I'm sure it will be better.  One can always be a critic -- to be sure -- but actually putting a good textbook together is a real feat and I'm humbled to use and read this one!
1107669
This is a great book, and is incredibly thorough.  I'm an EMT as well as an OEC with the National Ski Patrol, and I think this book is as big or bigger than the EMT textbook I went through when I got that certification.

That can be a problem too.  The book goes into incredible detail about conditions which I, as an OEC on the ski slopes or in the aid room, will not have the ability to diagnose or treat beyond caring for the airway, insuring that the patient is breathing, and making sure that bleeding is controlled and pulse is adequate.  Furthermore, the book tends to repeat itself.  An excellent example; early in the book, there is a chapter on gross anatomy and physiology.  Each chapter then begins with a section on the anatomy and physiology of the area it will be discussing, and essentially repeats the earlier section (frequently using the same pictures).

So, final assessment; an excellent medical textbook, but maybe not so well planned, and not so well focused on the population that will be using it?
1957255
Drs. Kaye and Black have provided the field with a highly remarkable two-volume text that emphasizes operative events as the central focus. It is, without question, a major addition to the discipline's reference resources.  As the editors state in their preface, "Operative Neurosurgery is a comprehensive text of clinical neurosurgery intended for both the practicing neurosurgeon and the neurosurgical trainee. The philosophy of the book is to describe the best clinical practice. This is based on combining the latest advances in basic neurosciences that underpin neurosurgery with a thorough appreciation of the art of clinical neurosurgery: the operation is only one component of the management of the patient and the surgical procedures can only be of optimal value to the patient when based on sound clinical judgement and combined with excellent postoperative care."  The fundamental framework of the text is carefully devised, with the broad areas of cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve disorders covered thoroughly in 18 sections comprising 174 individual chapters, which are authored by a noteworthy international group of contributors that number more than 400. Each of the individual contributions is relatively brief but substantive, crisp, lucid, and exceptionally well edited, with a generous number of marvelous line drawings by the eminent medical illustrators Diane Abeloff and Gillian Lee. The formatting, halftone presentation, and design of tables and graphs are streamlined and provide for easy readability of the material. Great attention to detail is evident in the content and presentation throughout.  Virtually all important operative topics are addressed in a highly contemporary manner. In addition, the reader will find the opening section, titled General Principles, highly worthwhile, including such chapters as "Surgical Physiology," "Perioperative Care," "Special Consideration for Children in Neurosurgery," "Patient Positioning," "Cerebral Protection," "Surgery in the MRI Environment," and "Informed Consent." They provide a stimulating and practical substrate for the following section covering the entire scope of modern neurosurgical procedures and ancillary management problems.  The initial cranial section, titled Head Injuries, is comprised of 10 subsections presenting elements of strategy and technical management. The section includes chapters on all major issues attendant to this heading, with specialty chapters on "Head Injury in Children" and "Injuries to the Skull Base and Paranasal Sinuses." Subsequent sections, covering Malignant Brain Tumors, Meningiomas and Hemangioblastomas, Sellar and Parasellar Tumors, Ventricular Tumors, Pineal Tumors, Posterior Fossa Schwannomas and Glomus Tumors, Vascular, Hydrocephalus, Epilepsy, Craniofacial, Skull Base Exposures, Functional Neurosurgery, CNS Infection, and Cranial Vertebral Abnormalities, all provide broad scope, detail, and a truly contemporary perspective. The next sections provide detailed and appropriate views related to contemporary spinal surgery and present vertebral column and nervous system problems exclusively from the neurosurgeon's point of view. The closing eight chapters elucidate the neurosurgeon's role in the management of peripheral nerve problems, with an excellent overview section provided by Kline, Tiel, and Hudson. A detailed and highly useful 67-page index facilitates the user's entry to topic exploration within the extensive presentation.  Drs. Kaye and Black are two of neurosurgery's most esteemed intellects, with an immense wealth of experience in editorship, publishing, and all literary aspects of the field. Their combined talents have led to the development of a highly important work for the general neurosurgical community. Its detail and scope along with its readability, offering a precise rendering of the statement of modernity in the field, make it an absolutely essential element in the library of every neurosurgeon.
1973286
This is a very useful book to use in tandem with my surgeon, endocrinologist and dietitian. Their post op instruction's cover but two pages. I know all the answers when I leave the consultation room and forget them when I arrive home or I forgot to ask them in the first place.!
One has to realize these medical professionals do not have the time to cover all but the important aspects. This book is a compendium to be used in conjunction with but not to the exclusion of ones medical team
In my case I live in Israel. My medical team are fluent in English as they have studied in the USA, but they may miss the nuances of the English Languages.
In closing I have lost 66 lbs in 6 months and am off insulin, My heart and cholesterol meds have been cut by up to 75%. This procedure is drastic surgery and must not be taken lightly, I heed the advice of my medical team AND that of this book..
Brian Freed. Netanya. Israel
1170354
The Bible of the subject. Each edition gets better, in the last few years of course the big changes have been in HIV/AIDS and in the improved treatment of various cancers. Other than that there are a thousand or more changes, updates and additions on virtually all types of diagnosis and treatments.

This is a general book, it crosses all specialties. It is primarily intended for the primary care physician, but would also be of great value in some nursing environments, in remote clinics where a physician might not be available and for specialists in one field who may need information on other areas.

I imagine that most people thinking of getting this book are at least familiar with it. All I can really say is that this is the latest edition, it's updated with the latest information, it's the standard by which others are compared.
4171401
Massive Rotator Cuff Tears

Springer Verlag New York Berlin Heidelberg

Reviewer: Joseph Grenier MD PhD MPH

This is an excellent atlas and textbook on the subject of rotator cuff shoulder pathologies ranging from the mild to most severe cases.  Intraoperative planning and approaches are nicely illustrated as is the radiographic and ultrasonic means to diagnoses.  Tendon transfer and muscle flaps description of operative techniques is covered.  Arthoscopy for diagnosis and repair are covered, as is hemiarthroplasty (HA) and reverse shoulder Arthroplasty(RSA).  Decompression surgery for impingement of the joints is pictured.  Situations requiring nonoperative interventions is also well illustrated.  Latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major flaps and transfers to this shoulder area is also discussed.

Cartilage repair and injection of steroids for nonoperative interventions is included within this excellent text.  Outcomes and prognoses of the surgery is correlated with each individual procedure.  I highly recommend this book to all surgical trainees and practitioners of orthopedics.  All doctors with an interest in shoulder surgery will find this book very helpful in there practices.
2487798
This book is chock-full of great advice for anyone going through surgery/medical procedures, or dealing with acute or chronic illness. From nutrition and supplements to relaxation and visualization techniques, to hospital safety - I cannot recommend it highly enough. Helped me get successfully through 2 knee replacements, and I tell all my friends and colleagues about it. As a matter of fact, I seem to have lent it to someone, so I'm ordering another copy!
598039
I am a surgical intern, and I find this book very useful. It has good information on diagnosis, treatment, and even handy little pictures on basic anatomy. I just wish there would have been a kindle version when I bought my print version!
4681041
as far as I know, best book of anatomy out there