JRSM > Volume 96, Number 4 > Pp. 201-202

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Surgical Management of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Disorders

Andrew Kingsnorth

Derriford Hospital, Plymouth PL6 8DH, UK

Editors: Graeme J Poston, Leslie H Blumgart
500 pp Price £120 ISBN 1-899066-97-7
London: Martin Dunitz

Sometimes when picking up a book, perusing the contents list and browsing through the illustrations and subject headings one gets a feeling of promise with regard to the detailed content. I had this experience with Poston and Blumgart's book and was not disappointed. This is a work of high quality in both information and production. The editors aimed at a problem-based approach rather than didactic descriptions and this is nicely done with a format of frequently asked questions followed by answers backed up by detailed review of the published work. Editorial control has been sufficient to give a uniform approach while allowing the authors to retain individual character.

A special feature is the way anatomical descriptions and operative techniques are illuminated by computer assisted diagrammatic representations and in some chapters image reconstruction techniques in three dimensions. I would pick out the chapters on hepatic resection, bilobar metastatic colon cancer and non-resectional treatment of colorectal cancer as particularly hard to beat in any competing textbook, in their detailed descriptions and reviews of recent work. Towards the end are two excellent chapters that will appeal to the general surgeon, on management of trauma of the duodenum, pancreas and liver. Expertly handled they offer solutions to management of these rare but critical injuries.

Inevitably there are a few gaps where the editors have been selective, and it seems odd to have a chapter on management of carcinoma of the head of pancreas involving the portal vein without another describing the standard pancreatic resectional procedures. Neither of the chapters dealing with neuroendocrine tumours mentions the significant advances in the genetics of these conditions, which can profoundly affect patient management.

In general, the editors and authors have done an excellent job. Here is the evidence base for day-to-day management and decision making in hepatobiliary diseases. I recommend the book to any general or specialist surgeon who manages these diseases, and to trainees approaching examinations at completion of surgical training.

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Send a Quick Comment Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Quick Comments are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kingsnorth, A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                      What's this?