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British Journal of Plastic Surgery (2000), 53, 714 9 2000 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons
BRITISH
JOURNAL
OF
PLASTIC
SURGERY
Book reviews doi: 10.1054/bjps.2000.3416
France in an attempt to write a comprehensive review of the subject. The book is essentially a collection of papers from the annals of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery published in August last year. The subject matter covered ranges from the anatomy and embryology of the abdominal wall with a large focus on abdominal hernias (mostly of the incisional variety) and then going on to abdominal flaps and finally on to aesthetic abdominal surgery. Each of the articles presents an exhaustive review of the subject, which in many respects is too detailed and lacks a focus as to whom the articles are intended for, with lots of examination and investigation points that would be of use for a medical student, but then at the same time including very precise details regarding surgical techniques and materials used, which would only be of interest to a practising plastic surgeon with a specialist interest in this area. As a consequence of the attempt to encompass all aspects of the subject material, the book becomes much less enjoyable to read and it is frequently difficult to pick out areas of particular interest. For instance, whilst it is fascinating to learn about the finer genetic anatomy of the abdominal wall in a wide variety of animals including the rather clever X configuration of the recti muscles in the Herisson which enables it to roll up into a ball, the same chapter describes the vascular anatomy of the abdominal wall without including any of the angiosome concept. Within the chapters on incisional hernias, yet again there is an extensive focus on the preoperative management of the patient, including an extensive description of the examination of the abdominal wall and then later on in the same article there is an extensive discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the various prosthetic materials used for incisional hernia repair, as well as the various benefits and disadvantages of the precise site of placement. Nonetheless, despite these reservations, the book is well organised with a very high standard of illustrations both black and white and colour, and a high standard likewise of medical photography. The articles are well referenced though there is no index. In terms of general presentation, the binding, printing and paper are of an extremely high standard. The main area of interest for British plastic surgeons would be within the final chapters that deal with abdominal flaps and aesthetic abdominal surgery, which offer a very comprehensive review of the topic with a few interesting and useful points. Overall, mostly because the articles fall to aim for a particular audience, this would not be a particularly useful addition to a postgraduate library, however, for an enthusiast in any of the areas covered it would be of interest.
Congenital Malformations of the Hand and Forearm Edited by Dieter Buck-Gramcko. Harcourt Brace, London, 1998. ISBN 0-443-03560-1. Pp xvii + 557; ill. Price s 26.00. This is a book long-awaited and well worth waiting for. Dieter Buck-Gramcko has been at the forefront of the development of children's hand surgery for the last 35 years, and many of the other contributors to this multi-authored publication have made comparable and original contributions. The book is comprehensive but deals only with congenital malformations of the hand and forearm and does not concern itself with more proximal abnormalities or acquired abnormalities. This is an important conceptual demarcation since many surgeons have now moved away from the previous concept of a 'congenital hand clinic' to the concept of a children's hand clinic where all ailments and afflictions of the upper limbs in children are dealt with. The book is laid out in a simple format, dealing first with the general issues such as the aetiology and incidence of congenital malformations, and then tackling the general treatment and procedures (such as microvascular surgery beautifully described by Alain Gilbert). Strangely for a book on congenital deformities of the hand and forearm, there is no description of embryology and the advances in embryogenesis and its control and development that have also characterised the last 30 years. The third section of the book concerns the deformities of the hand and this section really is excellent. Without exception, the choice of authors is authoritative and the cover comprehensive. The fourth section concerns the deformities of the thumb and as might be expected in a book edited by the man who developed some of the most important concepts in thumb reconstruction for congenital anomalies, this alone makes the book worth purchasing. The last section on the upper extremity covers radial and ulnar dysplasias, abnormalities of the elbow and one or two general conditions including epidermolysis, arthrogryposis and arteriovenous malformations. Again many of these contributions are from great names in the field although one or two are no longer practising actively. This is not however to detract in any way from the contributions, which are the more magisterial for coming from consultants with a perspective of long and authoritative careers. The book is nicely presented in black and white in a format slightly smaller than A4. There are 557 pages and each contribution is well referenced and well indexed. Any surgeon undertaking work in the field of congenital malformation in the hand or forearm must purchase this book without which their background reading of the subject in hand will be incomplete.
MICHAEL CADIER MA, FRCS The Old Farmhouse, Standlynch, Nr Downton, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 3QR, UK.
S. KAY BA, BM, BCh, FRCS Consultant Plastic Surgeon, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK. DOI: 10.1054Pojps.2000.3431
Chirurgie plastique reeonstruetriee et esthrtique de la patti abdominale Edited by Pierre Banzet. Expansion Scientifique Publications, Pads, France, 1999. ISSN 0294-1260. Pp vi + 217; ill. Price. Following a conference of the French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons in Pads in October 1999 on Plastic Surgery of the Abdominal Wall, the Editor has sought to gather together a series of papers from various Units in 714
BRITISH
JOURNAL
OF
PLASTIC
SURGERY
Book reviews doi: 10.1054/bjps.2000.3416
France in an attempt to write a comprehensive review of the subject. The book is essentially a collection of papers from the annals of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery published in August last year. The subject matter covered ranges from the anatomy and embryology of the abdominal wall with a large focus on abdominal hernias (mostly of the incisional variety) and then going on to abdominal flaps and finally on to aesthetic abdominal surgery. Each of the articles presents an exhaustive review of the subject, which in many respects is too detailed and lacks a focus as to whom the articles are intended for, with lots of examination and investigation points that would be of use for a medical student, but then at the same time including very precise details regarding surgical techniques and materials used, which would only be of interest to a practising plastic surgeon with a specialist interest in this area. As a consequence of the attempt to encompass all aspects of the subject material, the book becomes much less enjoyable to read and it is frequently difficult to pick out areas of particular interest. For instance, whilst it is fascinating to learn about the finer genetic anatomy of the abdominal wall in a wide variety of animals including the rather clever X configuration of the recti muscles in the Herisson which enables it to roll up into a ball, the same chapter describes the vascular anatomy of the abdominal wall without including any of the angiosome concept. Within the chapters on incisional hernias, yet again there is an extensive focus on the preoperative management of the patient, including an extensive description of the examination of the abdominal wall and then later on in the same article there is an extensive discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the various prosthetic materials used for incisional hernia repair, as well as the various benefits and disadvantages of the precise site of placement. Nonetheless, despite these reservations, the book is well organised with a very high standard of illustrations both black and white and colour, and a high standard likewise of medical photography. The articles are well referenced though there is no index. In terms of general presentation, the binding, printing and paper are of an extremely high standard. The main area of interest for British plastic surgeons would be within the final chapters that deal with abdominal flaps and aesthetic abdominal surgery, which offer a very comprehensive review of the topic with a few interesting and useful points. Overall, mostly because the articles fall to aim for a particular audience, this would not be a particularly useful addition to a postgraduate library, however, for an enthusiast in any of the areas covered it would be of interest.
Congenital Malformations of the Hand and Forearm Edited by Dieter Buck-Gramcko. Harcourt Brace, London, 1998. ISBN 0-443-03560-1. Pp xvii + 557; ill. Price s 26.00. This is a book long-awaited and well worth waiting for. Dieter Buck-Gramcko has been at the forefront of the development of children's hand surgery for the last 35 years, and many of the other contributors to this multi-authored publication have made comparable and original contributions. The book is comprehensive but deals only with congenital malformations of the hand and forearm and does not concern itself with more proximal abnormalities or acquired abnormalities. This is an important conceptual demarcation since many surgeons have now moved away from the previous concept of a 'congenital hand clinic' to the concept of a children's hand clinic where all ailments and afflictions of the upper limbs in children are dealt with. The book is laid out in a simple format, dealing first with the general issues such as the aetiology and incidence of congenital malformations, and then tackling the general treatment and procedures (such as microvascular surgery beautifully described by Alain Gilbert). Strangely for a book on congenital deformities of the hand and forearm, there is no description of embryology and the advances in embryogenesis and its control and development that have also characterised the last 30 years. The third section of the book concerns the deformities of the hand and this section really is excellent. Without exception, the choice of authors is authoritative and the cover comprehensive. The fourth section concerns the deformities of the thumb and as might be expected in a book edited by the man who developed some of the most important concepts in thumb reconstruction for congenital anomalies, this alone makes the book worth purchasing. The last section on the upper extremity covers radial and ulnar dysplasias, abnormalities of the elbow and one or two general conditions including epidermolysis, arthrogryposis and arteriovenous malformations. Again many of these contributions are from great names in the field although one or two are no longer practising actively. This is not however to detract in any way from the contributions, which are the more magisterial for coming from consultants with a perspective of long and authoritative careers. The book is nicely presented in black and white in a format slightly smaller than A4. There are 557 pages and each contribution is well referenced and well indexed. Any surgeon undertaking work in the field of congenital malformation in the hand or forearm must purchase this book without which their background reading of the subject in hand will be incomplete.
MICHAEL CADIER MA, FRCS The Old Farmhouse, Standlynch, Nr Downton, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 3QR, UK.
S. KAY BA, BM, BCh, FRCS Consultant Plastic Surgeon, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK. DOI: 10.1054Pojps.2000.3431
Chirurgie plastique reeonstruetriee et esthrtique de la patti abdominale Edited by Pierre Banzet. Expansion Scientifique Publications, Pads, France, 1999. ISSN 0294-1260. Pp vi + 217; ill. Price. Following a conference of the French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons in Pads in October 1999 on Plastic Surgery of the Abdominal Wall, the Editor has sought to gather together a series of papers from various Units in 714