This is the first in a series of monographs designed to provide the surgeon in private practice a guide for the treatment of the acutely injured patient. The book was written and edited by the surgical faculty from the University of California at San Francisco and Davis. The authors of this volume are experienced trauma surgeons, and clearly are qualified to participate in this endeavor.
The initial three chapters in this book review general principles of resuscitation and examination of the patient with acute abdominal trauma. The subsequent text is arranged according to organ systems. Each chapter begins with a succinct informative historic note and proceeds with sections on anatomy, diagnosis, management, and complications.
In general, the book is well written. The chapters are comprehensive in material but somewhat variable in their practical interpretation. The section on trauma to the pancreas and duodenum, for example, is a model chapter. Relevant