CRC OP THORACIC SURG PDF

Preface

It is with considerable pride that the editors are able to present this volume of Operative Surgery which covers the whole of Thoracic Surgery in one volume joining the skills of the lung surgeon and the oesophageal surgeon together for the benefit of many who practice this as a single specialty. Nearly twenty years have passed since the previous volume was published, and during this time, quite dramatic changes have occurred in the management of thoracic and esophageal diseases. The editors' believe that each of these advances has been adequately described in this volume to reflect the major changes in management. Of particular note has been the development of thoracoscopic surgery, which has brought considerable benefits in both the management of certain lung and oesophageal diseases. Perhaps, the greatest change in surgical practice has been the development of even more specialised units with the objective of achieving a sufficient volume of surgical caseload which current evidence based data predict will improve the results of surgical morbidity, mortality and the long term survival. The results of our colleagues from China have certainly led the field in the reduction of mortality of oesophageal resection, and is an example of the benefits of surgical volume with great technical skill.

The series of Operative Surgery was founded in the middle of the 1950s when surgical technique was beginning to crystallise into what we know today as the correct technique and in the contribution of the skill of the surgeon to outcome. Performance of the correct operation at the correct time and in the correct way have been the hallmark of the series. It is to Charles Robb and Rodney Smith that many surgeons owe a debt for pioneering this classic series of surgical operative texts with their ability to display an operation by the use of excellent illustration with short descriptive notes. No doubt more technically advanced media will take over from the written page but, to date, the general editors have yet to find a medium which will enable the surgeons to flip through a few pages and be enlightened about the technical aspect of an operative technique. For this reason we persist with this series hoping that many will find this volume as useful as the others.

No illustrative text on Operative Surgery would be possible without the skill, the quite incredible artistry, of Gillian Lee and her team who have produced a most beautiful series of operative illustrations which will not date with time. We editors owe our great thanks to her, and hope that all our readers will find this form of presentation to their liking. Finally, our contributors, our technical editors and our publishers should be thanked for what has been a mammoth task of cooperation, which we hope our readers will appreciate.