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1990 The year book of surgery
British Journal of Plastic Surgery
(1991), 44.629-630
Book Reviews national perspectives on surgical research; opportunities in research). The first two thirds of the book had most value and in the present climate of health service reforms, the chapters on “Health Service Research” (D 290) and “Health Policv Research” CD .^ 308) offer valuable fodh for ihought. However, one sentence on p 3lO;umps out as both unfo~unate and inaccurate in the context of audit; it reads “No deaths are ever recorded in association with elective dental surgery and elective cosmetic surgery”. Not only have such events been reported in the national press in recent years, but I expect that most plastic surgery units will be all too aware that such mortality does occur, albeit rare. This one criticism apart, this book represents good value and it is easy to see how it has come to a second edition some 4 years after the first. All plastic surgery units would benefit from this book being placed on their library shelves. R. W. GRIFFITHS
1990 The Year Rook of Surgery. Editor Schwartz, S.I. St Louis, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, London, Philadelphia, Sydney, Toronto. Mosby Year Book 1990. f39.00. xxxx+ 455 pp, Ill. ISBN O-8151-76996. The Year Book of Surgery 1990 contains 354 abstracts from 70 journals in the year up to November 1989. In addition to subject and author indices and over 120 figures and data charts, 26 pages are devoted to an “Annual Overview” of each of the book’s 26 subject sections, whilst each abstract has a brief editorial comment. This volume of the Year Book series covers principally General Surgical topics but includes sections pertinent to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, such as Trauma, Shock, Bums, Wound Healing, Oncology and Tumour Immunology (including Melanoma), Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Hands, and Breasts. Aspects highlighted commonly reflect USA surgical opinion and this is also so in some of the more subjective Editorial comments. For instance, firm support for crystalloid versus colloid fluid resuscitation is expressed although the dangers of using hypertonic saline are given appropriate prominence. Nevertheless, for a General Surgeon, the subjects chosen do reflect trends at that time in an informative way and the sections on “Bums” and “Wound Healing” are pa~icularly good, marred only by EditoriaI reference to fasci~u~n~us flaps in the leg as “turn-down” flaps: the relative slowness for this reconstructive technique to find common usage in the USA as opposed to European practice, however, merits its inclusion, as emphasized by the retiring Senior Editor. His replacement could improve the Annual Overview by citing the reference number of any Abstract mentioned in the text. Although a helpful and stimulating resume of trends and advances in General Surgery in 1989, much of the Year Book will be purely of general interest to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, whilst sections more germane to the specialty will add little to past and current journal knowledge. Thus, despite its good value at e39.00, the Year Book cannot be recommended for individual specialty purchase, although it remains of great relevance to the medical/ surgical library shelf. R.N. MATTHEWS
Eyelid Surgery. By J. E. Rathbun. Pp xii and 290, ill. (Boston, Toronto and London: Little, Brown and Company, 1991). Price f95. ISBN O-316-13437-3. This is a good basic textbook on eyelid surgery. There are chapters on eyelid anatomy, basic techniques, entropion, ectropion, ptosis, lid retraction, trauma, reconstruction and cosmetic surgery. The book does not cover lacrimal, orbital or socket surgery and there is no discussion of orbital fractures under ‘Trauma’. By limiting the coverage strictly to eyelid surgery as the title states, the author has been able to devote considerable space to details of examination and a discussion of the pathophysiology of eyelid malposition. The preface states that the book presents the current status of the procedures which the author finds useful in eyelid surgery and the reader is presented with a large number of different operations. The surgical techniques are well described and illustrated but although the indications for each operation are given it is sometimes difficult to identify a specific reason for choosing a particular operation in preference to another. For instance, five separate operations are described for lowering an eyelid but they are not divided clearly into those anterior approach procedures which allow better control of the eyelid skin crease, and posterior approach procedures which cause the skin crease to rise but give better post-operative control of the eyelid level as eyelash traction and massage can be applied earlier. The book is primarily written for ophthalmology residents or junior doctors starting their training in ophthalmology and the beautiful pre-operative, operative and post-operative colour photographs clearly demonstrate the indications, techniques and results of different operations. They are of a very high standard and confirm the extensive experience that the author has in a11forms of eyelid surgery and perhaps especially in trauma. Some of the black and white photographs are less well reproduced but are still valuable. It is these extensive illustrations with the glossy pages, large print and attractive, spacious presentation which make the book easy to read, but rather expensive at t95 for the fact that it is limited to eyelid surgery only. This perhaps makes it a better buy for libraries rather than for individuals. Although the content is limited and the main purpose is to teach the basic principles of eyelid surgery, there are many pearls for the more experienced surgeon such as the author’s tarsal rotation technique for reconstructing the posterior lamella of the lateral upper eyelid and his experience with ptosis surgery in oriental patients. It is therefore a book which is well worth looking at for any surgeon with an interest in eyelid surgery. J. R. 0. COLLIN
Principles aud Practice of Research. Strategies for Surgical Investigators. Edited by H. Troidl, W. 0. Spitzer, B. McPeek, D. S. Mulder, M. F. McKneally, A. S. Wechsler andC. M. Balch. 2ndEdition 1991. N.Y., Berlin, Heidelberg, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Barcelona. SpringerVerlag XXVIII+566
Price DM 198. ISBN o-387-97361-3.
When I noted that some 86 contributors from many countries had written 66 chapters within 6 sections, I admit that I approached this volume with some misgivings. However, closer inspection indicated that the editors had done their job well and kept all contributions brief and very readable, with negligible duplication between chapters. The foreword to the first edition had been given by Professor John Goligher and other UK authors were Professor Sir Robert Shields, Mr Brendan Devlin, Mr A. V. Pollack and Mary Evans. The volume is well bound, well printed and a pleasure to read. It is a volume for “dipping into” for selected chapters, rather than one to read from cover to cover. Whilst no book can hope to teach workers how to guarantee successful research, there is much wisdom in this book which will undoubtedly help the surgical trainee organise his research, and offer specific help in the 6 main areas covered (Investigators and investigation; starting the research process; implementation of research; reporting your work; inter629
(1991), 44.629-630
Book Reviews national perspectives on surgical research; opportunities in research). The first two thirds of the book had most value and in the present climate of health service reforms, the chapters on “Health Service Research” (D 290) and “Health Policv Research” CD .^ 308) offer valuable fodh for ihought. However, one sentence on p 3lO;umps out as both unfo~unate and inaccurate in the context of audit; it reads “No deaths are ever recorded in association with elective dental surgery and elective cosmetic surgery”. Not only have such events been reported in the national press in recent years, but I expect that most plastic surgery units will be all too aware that such mortality does occur, albeit rare. This one criticism apart, this book represents good value and it is easy to see how it has come to a second edition some 4 years after the first. All plastic surgery units would benefit from this book being placed on their library shelves. R. W. GRIFFITHS
1990 The Year Rook of Surgery. Editor Schwartz, S.I. St Louis, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, London, Philadelphia, Sydney, Toronto. Mosby Year Book 1990. f39.00. xxxx+ 455 pp, Ill. ISBN O-8151-76996. The Year Book of Surgery 1990 contains 354 abstracts from 70 journals in the year up to November 1989. In addition to subject and author indices and over 120 figures and data charts, 26 pages are devoted to an “Annual Overview” of each of the book’s 26 subject sections, whilst each abstract has a brief editorial comment. This volume of the Year Book series covers principally General Surgical topics but includes sections pertinent to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, such as Trauma, Shock, Bums, Wound Healing, Oncology and Tumour Immunology (including Melanoma), Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Hands, and Breasts. Aspects highlighted commonly reflect USA surgical opinion and this is also so in some of the more subjective Editorial comments. For instance, firm support for crystalloid versus colloid fluid resuscitation is expressed although the dangers of using hypertonic saline are given appropriate prominence. Nevertheless, for a General Surgeon, the subjects chosen do reflect trends at that time in an informative way and the sections on “Bums” and “Wound Healing” are pa~icularly good, marred only by EditoriaI reference to fasci~u~n~us flaps in the leg as “turn-down” flaps: the relative slowness for this reconstructive technique to find common usage in the USA as opposed to European practice, however, merits its inclusion, as emphasized by the retiring Senior Editor. His replacement could improve the Annual Overview by citing the reference number of any Abstract mentioned in the text. Although a helpful and stimulating resume of trends and advances in General Surgery in 1989, much of the Year Book will be purely of general interest to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, whilst sections more germane to the specialty will add little to past and current journal knowledge. Thus, despite its good value at e39.00, the Year Book cannot be recommended for individual specialty purchase, although it remains of great relevance to the medical/ surgical library shelf. R.N. MATTHEWS
Eyelid Surgery. By J. E. Rathbun. Pp xii and 290, ill. (Boston, Toronto and London: Little, Brown and Company, 1991). Price f95. ISBN O-316-13437-3. This is a good basic textbook on eyelid surgery. There are chapters on eyelid anatomy, basic techniques, entropion, ectropion, ptosis, lid retraction, trauma, reconstruction and cosmetic surgery. The book does not cover lacrimal, orbital or socket surgery and there is no discussion of orbital fractures under ‘Trauma’. By limiting the coverage strictly to eyelid surgery as the title states, the author has been able to devote considerable space to details of examination and a discussion of the pathophysiology of eyelid malposition. The preface states that the book presents the current status of the procedures which the author finds useful in eyelid surgery and the reader is presented with a large number of different operations. The surgical techniques are well described and illustrated but although the indications for each operation are given it is sometimes difficult to identify a specific reason for choosing a particular operation in preference to another. For instance, five separate operations are described for lowering an eyelid but they are not divided clearly into those anterior approach procedures which allow better control of the eyelid skin crease, and posterior approach procedures which cause the skin crease to rise but give better post-operative control of the eyelid level as eyelash traction and massage can be applied earlier. The book is primarily written for ophthalmology residents or junior doctors starting their training in ophthalmology and the beautiful pre-operative, operative and post-operative colour photographs clearly demonstrate the indications, techniques and results of different operations. They are of a very high standard and confirm the extensive experience that the author has in a11forms of eyelid surgery and perhaps especially in trauma. Some of the black and white photographs are less well reproduced but are still valuable. It is these extensive illustrations with the glossy pages, large print and attractive, spacious presentation which make the book easy to read, but rather expensive at t95 for the fact that it is limited to eyelid surgery only. This perhaps makes it a better buy for libraries rather than for individuals. Although the content is limited and the main purpose is to teach the basic principles of eyelid surgery, there are many pearls for the more experienced surgeon such as the author’s tarsal rotation technique for reconstructing the posterior lamella of the lateral upper eyelid and his experience with ptosis surgery in oriental patients. It is therefore a book which is well worth looking at for any surgeon with an interest in eyelid surgery. J. R. 0. COLLIN
Principles aud Practice of Research. Strategies for Surgical Investigators. Edited by H. Troidl, W. 0. Spitzer, B. McPeek, D. S. Mulder, M. F. McKneally, A. S. Wechsler andC. M. Balch. 2ndEdition 1991. N.Y., Berlin, Heidelberg, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Barcelona. SpringerVerlag XXVIII+566
Price DM 198. ISBN o-387-97361-3.
When I noted that some 86 contributors from many countries had written 66 chapters within 6 sections, I admit that I approached this volume with some misgivings. However, closer inspection indicated that the editors had done their job well and kept all contributions brief and very readable, with negligible duplication between chapters. The foreword to the first edition had been given by Professor John Goligher and other UK authors were Professor Sir Robert Shields, Mr Brendan Devlin, Mr A. V. Pollack and Mary Evans. The volume is well bound, well printed and a pleasure to read. It is a volume for “dipping into” for selected chapters, rather than one to read from cover to cover. Whilst no book can hope to teach workers how to guarantee successful research, there is much wisdom in this book which will undoubtedly help the surgical trainee organise his research, and offer specific help in the 6 main areas covered (Investigators and investigation; starting the research process; implementation of research; reporting your work; inter629