Book reviews

Colour Atlas of Head and Neck Surgery

J. Shah. 258 x 315 mm. Pp. 256. Illustrated. 1987. London: Wove Medical Publications. f75.00.

Many surgeons will be familiar with the Colour Atlas series produced by Wolfe Medical Publications and I am pleased to say that this new addition by Jatin Shah keeps up with the generally high standards of the series. In this first volume on head and neck surgery he covers various operative techniques involving the face, skull, and neck. In addition to the expected details of minor and major operative procedures, there is an opening chapter covering the operating room requirements and anaesthesia for head and neck surgery. The text is surprisingly comprehensive bearing in mind that this is primarily intended as a colour atlas and, where necessary, details of pre-operative assessment and treatment planning are also given.

The standard of colour photography is on the whole high and, as the photographs were taken by the author himself during the procedures, there is good continuity and the surgeon’s field of view in each operation. There is a criticism, which is faced by most colour atlases, that, on a number of occasions where large operative fields are shown, accompanying line diagrams would add considerably to the clarification. A second volume is expected in the near future by the same author covering the remaining aspects of head and neck surgery, including the larynx, pharynx, thyroid gland and reconstructive procedures. If the same standard is maintained then this will prove to be an excellent two volume set for all those working in this complex and demanding specialty.

D. Howard

Senior Lecturer Royal National E N T Hospital London U K

Essentials of Surgery

D. C . Sabiston. 220 x 283 mm. P p . 1207. Illustrated. 1987. Philadelphia: W B. Saunders. E25.00.

Visitors from the UK to the major undergraduate teaching hospitals in the USA are impressed by many things-but one of the most impressive is the phenomenon ofthe American medical student. Older than ours, it is true, but characterized by enormous dedication, hard work, and encyclopaedic knowledge. Alongside this prodigy is the phenomenon of the American student textbooks, which are correspondingly more comprehensive than the slim volumes sported by our own surgical dressers.

To other well-known works is now added this new volume edited by David Sabiston of Duke University School of Medicine. It is based on his well-known Textbook of Surgery and is presented as a more concise volume designed specifically for medical students. Essentials of Surgery is still a massive tome, which rests heavily on the knees. It has 90 contributors, the great majority from the USA, who cover the whole range of surgery including ENT, but not opthalmology. Gynaecology is dealt with in a brief chapter of 24 pages and I suspect that the students will need more than this. Each major topic includes a historical introduction, a full consideration of its scientific basis and a pertinent bibliography, as well as a list of selected recommended references.

Certainly this is a major contribution to surgical teaching. In this country, it will be welcomed by postgraduate trainees rather than medical students. However, perhaps the latter will be encouraged by the succinct text and copious illustrations of Essentials of Surgery to use it as a mine of information.

H. Ellis

Professor of Surgery Westminster Hospital London U K

Cutaneous Melanoma

U . kronesi. 155 x 235 mm. Pp. 693. Illustrated. 1987. Ontario: Academic Press Inc. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. E40.00.

One hundred and fifty invited papers given at the First International Conference on skin melanoma in Venice in May 1985 provide a comprehensive coverage of the scientific and biological aspects of melanoma, including pathology, epidemiology and immunology. It is well up-to-date for a major publication, with references up to 1985 included. Adjuvant therapy (including limb perfusion) is dealt with but there is little on surgical aspects-less than 20 out of 700 pages deal with the management of primary melanoma or lymph node disease and surgical technique or surgical palliation gets no mention. In short, it is a useful summary of present day knowledge of nonsurgical aspects of melanoma, particularly as seen by those who are recognized as authorities on the subject. It needs to be used in association with the book of abstracts of proffered papers, distributed at the conference- sometimes the proffered papers reflect the advancing edge of a subject as much as the invited expert reviews.

L. E. Hughes

Professor of Surgery University of Wales College of Medicine Cardiff U K

The Italian Journal of Paediatric Surgical Sciences 214 x 272 mm. No. 0 October 1986. Naples: Associazione Cultori Scienze, Chirurgiche Pediatriche.

A new journal has appeared on the paediatric surgical scene; the first issue was published in October 1986. The journal will be published in English because, as the editors point out, scientific papers published in the Italian language receive very sparse international readership. This must be exasperating for the Italians and they are to be congratulated for their willingness to come to grips with the inexorable spread of English as the world’s international language.

It is intended that the journal will include articles on general paediatric surgical topics as well as on matters of interest to the system specialists working in the paediatric age group. This is reflected in the presence in the first issue of an article on the surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus in low birth weight premature infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome.

One particuarly pleasing feature of the first issue is a dedication to Professor Franco Soave, one of the founders of paediatric surgery in Italy and a leading figure in the field internationally. His contribution to the surgical treatment of Hirschsprung’s disease by the endorectal pull- through technique was a major landmark in the effort to improve operative results and is currently used by many paediatric surgeons throughout the world. He was a charming and friendly man and his death was a sad loss to all who knew him personally.

The standard of the editorial and the two articles printed in the first issue is excellent. The data are clearly presented, results concisely described and justifiable conclusions drawn. If the editors can maintain this standard the journal deserves to be a success.

J. E. S. Scott

Consultant Paediatric Surgeon Department of Surgery University of Newcastle Newcastle U K

Br. J. Surg., Vol. 75, No. 2, February 1988 191