This book is about my favorite operation, carotid endarterectomy. The author has provided us with a very personal how-to expository atlas of step-by-step details in the performance of an operation that is regaining favor after its exoneration by recent multicenter randomized clinical trials. The text is divided into three sections. First is a narrative overview of fundamentals, including indications and contraindications for carotid endarterectomy, basic operative techniques (including anesthesia, monitoring, shunting, and endarterectomy details), postoperative management, and complications. A second section depicts a wide range of carotid lesions on conventional cut-film four-vessel arteriograms of high quality. The final section consists of a detailed series of color intraoperative photographs and accompanying line drawings that, along with generous narrative comments, describe in great detail the sequential steps in performing a standard carotid endarterectomy and its several variations.
Despite the readability of the personal, anecdotal style of the narrative, there are a number