Title: Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, 3rd Ed.
Abstract: Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, 3rd Ed. By Jatin P. Shah, M.D., and Snehal G. Patel, M.D. Pp. 732. Mosby, New York, N.Y. 2003. Price $350. As one of the most respected head and neck surgeons in the world, Dr. Jatin Shah, with Dr. Patel, has produced a wonderfully illustrated book of head and neck surgery. In this edition, the third (prior editions in 1990 and 1996), he has added six new chapters on the basics of radiation oncology, the current status of chemotherapy, rehabilitation of the head and neck cancer patient, and maxillofacial prosthedontics and dental oncology, as well as a chapter on basic research in the field. All of the new chapters complement the other 11 chapters, which are based on anatomic sites. There are also three chapters on unusual tumors of the head and neck and a short, 40-page chapter on reconstruction, though case studies throughout the book include necessary references to reconstructions. As stated by the authors, the purpose of the book is to describe surgical techniques, diagnostic approaches, treatment decisions, and outcomes of that treatment. The addition of the new chapters is designed to illustrate the multidisciplinary aspects of the specialty, although there is little attempt to discuss the integration of these disciplines in the cases illustrated. The format of each anatomic area chapter is the same as in the prior editions, that is, there is a short introduction of the problem, graphic illustrations to show the pathology (both clinical and photomicrographic), a discussion of treatment selection, and a step-by-step illustration of clinical cases. The case illustrations are as rich as those in any book on the subject that I have ever seen. There are literally hundreds of photographs—all of equal high quality—that walk the reader through procedures as simple as a skin graft to the scalp to as complex as resection of a skull base tumor. The cases focus on the oncologic aspect of the specialty, with reconstruction being shown and acknowledged but not detailed. Each chapter has a recommended reading list, although this list does not represent a bibliography. These reading suggestions are really classic articles on a given subject, some of which have been authored by Dr. Shah. This book should be in the library of every training program in plastic surgery. The anatomic descriptions, lavish illustrations, and crisply written text describing surgical procedures will aid in introducing trainees to head and neck surgery and will refresh the seasoned surgeon in the field. A couple of chapters are of special value to the plastic surgeon—the chapters on cervical lymph nodes and the salivary gland are particularly descriptive and informative. The treatment sections of each chapter have colored graphs that make the results of treatment come alive. The uniformity of the writing and the intraoperative photographs could only be obtained with a single author writing more than 75 percent of the chapters. This is an advantage when you are looking for a techniques book, which this is, but it is a distinct disadvantage when the reader is looking for different approaches to the same problem, but then there are already a number of good head and neck oncology texts on the market to satisfy that criterion. The value of this book for the plastic surgeon rests in the fact that it is not about reconstruction, but rather it is about oncology and the surgical technique leading up to the need for reconstruction—an area where, unfortunately, the average plastic surgeon has little, if any, experience.