Introduction Innovation is a necessity for the art of surgery. It can be defined as the practical implementation of ideas that result in new services or the improvement of existing services. Innovation has been a key driver for continued improvement…
Introduction Obesity is now a global health problem, placing an enormous health burden on our society because of the medical comorbidities that are associated with it, including type II diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, steatohepatitis, obstructive sleep apnoea, arthritis of the weight-bearing…
Introduction The diagnosis and management of abdominal sepsis is one of the great challenges the general surgeon faces. Optimal patient outcome requires considered decision-making and prompt action. However, even complex cases of abdominal sepsis can be managed confidently and competently…
Introduction The global burden of disease related to trauma is immense, with more than 1.5 million deaths each year due to violence, 1.25 million deaths in road traffic accidents annually, and nearly 1 million children die each year because of…
Introduction While paediatric surgery has increasingly become the domain of the subspecialist paediatric surgeon, adult general surgeons are still often faced with the challenges of assessing and managing children with surgical emergencies. The unique differences between adults and children must…
Introduction Acute anorectal pathology constitutes a significant proportion of the general surgeon’s workload. The problems encountered range from the acute pain of thrombosed haemorrhoids and perianal sepsis to the management of anorectal bleeding, trauma and irreducible rectal prolapse. Effective management…
Introduction Colonic emergencies result from obstruction, inflammation/infection, perforation, haemorrhage or ischaemia. Herein we discuss aetiology, pathogenesis, presentation and management. Emergency compared with elective colon surgery is associated with a two- to threefold increase in mortality, hence interventions to convert an…
Acknowledgement The fifth edition of this chapter was written by Peter Lamb. We have retained much of the information, revising, and updating it as appropriate. We acknowledge the excellence of his work. Introduction Acute disease of the small bowel, from…
Introduction As a general surgeon it is important to be competent in the management of the common emergency presentations associated with calculous biliary disease as these patients comprise a significant component of the acute workload. In addition, recognising the patient…
Introduction A major audit of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding in the UK carried out over 20 years ago reported an incidence of 103 patients per 100 000 adults per year. There is a twofold increase in likelihood of requiring hospitalisation…