Principles of Thyroid Surgery

Principles of Thyroid Surgery provides an eminently readable discussion of a variety of aspects of thyroid anatomy, physiology, and pathology that serves as a basis for surgical and nonsurgical treatment of thyroid disorders. Well written, the book promises much as a compact collection of necessary information for those involved in surgery of the thyroid gland. Unfortunately, the book delivers less than it promises because again and again it stops short of providing the underlying rationale for many of its statements. For example, the discussion of the anatomy of the thyroid mentions the possibility that the right recurrent nerve may not recur, but says nothing about how it is to be identified in this case. Both thyrotropic releasing hormone and circulating levels of thyroid hormones are implicated in the control of secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by the pituitary, but their relative importance is neglected.

The rationale for the use