An Aid to Clinical Surgery, 6th editionedited by Robin C. N. Williamson, MD, and Bruce P. Wax-man, BMedSc, MBBS. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 1998.464 pages. $29.50.

The 6th edition of An Aid to Clinical Surgery, editedby Robin C. N. Williamson and Bruce P. Waxman,is aimed at medical students beginning their junior

surgery clerkship. It comprises 39 concise, easy-to-readchapters and covers a large body of information in just 464pages. Each topic is presented in a straightforward mannerwith attention to surgical anatomy, pathology, diagnosis,and treatment.

The first section, entitled General Principles of Surgery,includes topics such as surgical infection and perioperativecare, as well as a strong chapter on clinical methodology.The “way that we go about clinical work,” or principles ofdecision making are eloquently discussed, and the axiomsintroduced should be impressed upon all students. Notably,there is also an important chapter on minimally invasivetechniques that discusses advantages and disadvantages,techniques, and possible complications. It does not includespecifics of any individual procedure, but rather aims togive the reader a good grasp of endoscopic and laparoscopic

principles and how this evolving field fits into the contextof modern surgical practice.

Requisite information on common surgical conditions arecovered in sections such as breast/endocrine surgery, sur-gical gastroenterology, and vascular surgery. Many subspe-cialty areas such trauma, head and neck surgery, cardiotho-racic surgery, and genitourinary surgery are also included.The illustrations and other graphics are of good quality,including well-chosen radiographs. The references, al-though not extensive, do guide the reader to salient journalarticles and book chapters.

A junior medical student should be able to read this textearly in the surgery clerkship and gain solid backgroundknowledge for the wards and operating room. However,because of the book’s concise nature, it will not suffice asthe only reading done in preparation for written and oralexaminations. Still, I think it is worthwhile addition toone’s reading list and more than serves its purpose as an“aid” to clinical surgery.

Sandra Wong, MDDepartment of SurgeryUniversity of Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky

BOOK REVIEW

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