Multidiscplinary Head and Neck Reconstruction

The Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 10-NOV-09, Kim Ah-See, Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK -- "This new hardback colour textbook on Head and Neck reconstruction has been written by the well respected Mark Urken from New York. It is over 800 pages long and is crammed full of colour clinical photographs on high quality gloss paper... "It represents the fruits of his considerable clinical experience over the past 20 years or so. The chapters are largely based on site-specific reconstruction techniques. While the majority of defects result from neoplastic disease, there is a chapter at the end dedicated to trauma reconstruction and also a chapter on paediatric cases, both of which would also be of interest to our Maxillo-Facial colleagues. Three initial chapters deal with special topics related to the head and neck patient, including issues around nutrition, vascular access and complications of free tissues transfer. "The format of the chapters is based on a description of basic principles and considerations for reconstruction in particular areas, followed by detailed case studies including descriptions of their clinical course, illustrated with staged clinical photographs. There are some helpful classification systems, largely based on Urken's own experience and they therefore may not be familiar to most readers. "While this textbook eloquently describes the management of dozens of challenging cases, it is not meant as a 'How I do it' type text. If you don't know how to do a free radial forearm flap, then you still won't after reading this book. You will however gain an understanding of the different scenarios in which it can be used...In essence, this is a hugely detailed and colourful descriptive case series."-The Journal of Laryngology and Otology