The editors have prefaced this excellent book concisely. Although the advantages of laparoscopic surgery in certain fields of surgery do not need to be highlighted any further, the authors have critically analysed in detail the evidence available from various aspects and are to be credited for having carried out this vast exercise in a methodical manner.
This book has been written with a view to dissecting the available evidence for a number of topics in laparoscopic surgery. The majority of the contributors are from North America but the commentators are from other continents. One of them is not an advanced laparoscopic surgeon, thereby supporting their intention of providing a balanced opinion.
There are 32 chapters in this book, which has a particular emphasis on training, access and the physiological consequences of laparoscopic surgery. Topics such as laparoscopy in malignancy, trauma, hernia, reflux disease, morbid obesity, oesophagectomy, colorectal surgery and thyroid disease have been discussed in detail. These chapters have all been written with a critical eye towards the available evidence. At the end of each chapter there is a summary which is particularly useful as a quick reference.
It was most interesting to read the commentaries from world-renowned experts, some of whom touched on their experience in certain topics. Of note is that on gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, in which it was extremely interesting to note that the gold-standard operation was based on very little evidence.
The presentation in this book makes it particularly easy to follow, with subject headings and questions for discussion. This book is an essential for the higher trainee laparoscopic surgeon and the trainer. Certain controversial topics like endoscopic, minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgery will be useful as a reference for endocrine surgeons.
My overall score for this book is a 4 out of 5 and I will be using it as a reference in the future.