The stated purpose of the book is to develop the concept of a multidisciplinary approach to surgical problems by the surgeon, radiologist, and pathologist. It is directed specifically to surgeons and to those undergoing surgical training. The three senior editors are from the University of Edinburgh; there are more than 40 contributors. Each section was written by a team, presumably representing the three respective specialties.
The book has the usual textbook format, with six chapters on general and basic subjects, such as wound healing, burns, and transplantation, followed by 16 chapters on diseases by system. The individual chapters vary considerably in length and in depth of coverage of the subject matter. The chapter entitled "Diseases of the Bones, Joints and Soft Tissues," with an emphasis on radiology, is understandably the longest; of all the chapters, it seems to achieve the multidisciplinary approach the best. Throughout the book, the authors have