A clinical surgeon must run fast merely to keep up with the pack when it comes to the management of infections. This book is one of seven in a series entitled Contemporary Issues in Infectious Disease. This particular volume is specifically directed toward surgeons and surgical specialists. It consists of 18 15- to 20-page monographs, one third of which are summaries of progress in surgical fields, such as the role of oxygen in management of infections, adherence of bacteria to foreign bodies, and current strategies in molecular design of new antibiotics. These well-written, scholarly, short monographs strike a sensitive balance among recent advances in basic science that may be applicable to practicing surgeons.
The remaining 11 chapters are summaries of new developments in management of infections in special clinical situations, such as urosepsis, cardiac and biliary surgery, osteomyelitis, burns, and posttrauma care. Two chapters on abdominal abscess, one written by