Surgery of the Trachea and Bronchi

Abstract

It must be acknowledged from the outset that Dr. Hermes Grillo is one of the great (if not the greatest) pioneers in the field of tracheal surgery. The thoracic surgical community owes Dr. Grillo a debt of gratitude for the advances he and his colleagues at the Massachusetts General Hospital have made over the past 4 decades in the management of these rare but surgically challenging cases. This gratitude is only heightened by the publication of what is undoubtedly the most comprehensive textbook ever published on the surgical management of tracheobronchial diseases. Surgery of the Trachea and Bronchi is a 700-page book, which is divided into 2 sections. Part I is an extensive review of the pathology, diagnosis, clinical management and treatment outcomes of tracheal and bronchial diseases, including congenital and acquired benign and malignant conditions. Part II is more of a highly detailed “how to” manual which describes not only surgical strategies and approaches, but also anesthetic and endoscopic techniques. Preceding both parts is an excellent review of the history of tracheal surgery, made all the more interesting by the fact that it is written by one of the key figures in the development of the field. The text is clear, detailed and well-written. Indeed, 31 of 45 chapters have been written by Dr. Grillo himself. There is consistently good presentation of scientific data, where such exist, as well as extremely valuable personal observations. Over 460 figures accompany the text. Of these, approximately 200 are elegant line drawings by Edith Targrin, which show in a clear, yet detailed manner the subtleties of surgical approaches and of anatomy. Black and white radiographic images are abundant and complement the text. There are, in addition, 128 full color photographs depicting pathologic and endoscopic entities. The text is accompanied by a CD ROM, which includes the entire text and illustrations in PDF format. The price of $209 (US) is appropriate for a detailed reference textbook of such quality. Dr. Grillo quips that one may find it strange that such a large book be devoted “to an anatomic structure that measures only 10 to 12 cm in length.” However, that is its great strength. Surgically treatable tracheobronchial diseases are such uncommon conditions that few surgeons or physicians have much familiarity with them. It is therefore invaluable to have 40 years of experience of one of the true pioneers in the field translated into text. This book is a monumental contribution to the thoracic surgical literature. It is an absolute must for all practicing cardiothoracic surgeons and general surgeons, pediatric surgeons and cardiothoracic surgery residents will also find it extremely useful. Our pulmonary medicine and anesthesiology colleagues would also do well to read selected chapters. In summary, I highly recommend this book.