Introduction Surgery is the field of medicine that uses operative or instrumental techniques to treat or investigate pathologic conditions. Most surgical procedures are invasive in nature in that they involve physically cutting into a patient to repair or remove tissues…
Introduction The importance of trauma Injuries kill 5 million people each year, and trauma is responsible for nearly 1 in 10 deaths worldwide. It is also the leading cause of death between 15 and 29 years of age. For survivors…
The biology of cancer A neoplasm or new growth consists of a mass of transformed cells that does not respond in a normal way to growth regulatory systems. These cells serve no useful function and proliferate in an atypical and…
Preoperative considerations Careful preoperative assessment is fundamental to achieve good surgical outcomes, both in emergency and elective settings. However, the amount of time available for full assessment and investigation may be compromised when an emergency condition requires urgent intervention. Assessment…
Introduction When healthy, the human body maintains a balance with commensal microorganisms that colonise skin and mucosal surfaces, including the gut ( Fig. 6.1 ). Disease occurs when the balance changes, either due to an encounter with a microorganism that…
Introduction The interrelationship between disease and nutrition has been recognised since at least the time of Hippocrates, who is credited with the phrase ‘let food be thy medicine’. Attention to and correction of nutritional status remain fundamental to holistic medical…
Fluid and electrolyte balance Normal water and electrolyte balance Water forms about 60% of total body weight in men and 55% in women. Approximately two-thirds is intracellular and one-third is extracellular. Extracellular water is distributed between the plasma and the…
Introduction Scientific evidence and data are widely regarded as the basis for modern medicine and surgery. However, the concept of conducting experiments to decide whether new treatments are effective and safe is a relatively recent one. The first published clinical…
Introduction Surgeons work in high demand, complex healthcare systems, often with people they have never met before, in dynamic multidisciplinary teams. The patient safety movement has rapidly changed the approach and understanding of risk to patients and healthcare systems since…
Introduction Ethics is a term derived from the Greek word ethos, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as being ‘the moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity’. Ethics does not always provide the right…