General and Visceral Surgery Review

Abstract

Originally published in German, this book has been designed as a revision aid for specialist general surgical trainees. The book covers many of the topics listed in the Inter-collegiate Surigcal Curriculum Programme syllabus and is divided into sections based on anatomical areas. There is, however, no coverage of breast surgery and the vascular surgery chapter is somewhat limited. Chapters begin with a brief anatomical and physiological overview of the body part, followed by discussion of common surgical pathologies affecting each area. Bullet points are used to concisely break down information about relevant anatomy, physiology, symptoms and signs of disease, and up-to-date management of specific conditions. Tables highlight relevant operative techniques and are often supplemented by quality figures to aid understanding. Overall, the book is well structured and its concise treatment of each topic facilitates efficient learning. For the surgical trainee in the UK system, however, the book is perhaps too advanced for an MRCS examination candidate yet has insufficient detail to be used as the sole textbook for preparation for the fellowship examination.