For the last 3 years, after 31 years in private practice, I have had the great pleasure of being a member of an academic neurosurgery program. The Carilion Neurosurgery Department has afforded me the opportunity to focus on degenerative spine surgery, which is, and has been for some time, the area of my primary interest. I had no idea that working with diligent, stimulating, and enthusiastic residents could be so enjoyable. But I have also learned that their considerable responsibilities in a busy general neurosurgical practice, at a Level I trauma center, affords them little time (either in the clinic or the OR) to develop the fundamental clinical and technical skills necessary for the care of patients with degenerative spine pain. The learning curve in the care of the painful degenerative lumbar spine is a long one. This is partly because the pathology in any given patient has a singular character. The anatomy of that pathology always varies in some degree, so that it will not be precisely alike any other. Furthermore, the multi-variant clinical factors in any patient can never be the exact same as in any other patient. The experienced surgeon therefore should have significant instructive value, clinically and operatively, to the young surgeon willing to learn what is still, to a large degree, an art. This book is not primarily meant to be a technical treatise. For instance, it is not so concerned with the specifics of the technique in the various types of lumbar fusion. It is more concerned, however, with identifying the patient who needs a fusion, and why a particular fusion method for that individual patient is the best option. And yet as degenerative lumbar spine surgery mainly concerns itself with various techniques of neural decompression, the principles of these methods will be presented, some of which may not be generally understood and practiced.

This is a new development in surgical publishing; the first two editions of the Oxford Textbook of Surgery are to be replaced by a series of specialty- specific textbooks in surgery. This change was precipitated by the ever- increasing size of a single textbook of surgery which embraced all specialties (the second edition of the Oxford Textbook of Surgery was three volumes), and a decision to adapt the textbooks to meet the needs of the audience; firstly, to suit the requirements of Higher Surgical trainees and, secondly, to make it available online. Thus, we have produced a key book to deal with the fundamentals of surgery, such as Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Evaluation of Evidence, and so forth. Then there are to be separate volumes covering individual specialties, each appearing as an independent textbook and available on Oxford Medicine Online. It is planned that each textbook in each specialty will be independent although there obviously will be an overlap between different specialties and, of course, the core book on Fundamentals of Surgery will underpin the required scientific knowledge and practice in each of the other specialties. This ambitious programme will be spread over several years, and the use of the online platform will allow for regular updates of the different textbooks. Each textbook will include the proposed requirements for training and learning as defined by the specialist committees (SACs) of surgery recognized by the four Colleges of Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland, and will continue to be applicable to a global audience. This ambitious programme will be spread over several years, and the use of the online platform will allow for regular updates of the different textbooks. When completed, the Oxford Textbooks in Surgery series will set standards for a long time to come.

Breast reconstruction is a common surgical procedure performed by many plastic surgeons around the world. It is an essential part of reconstructive breast surgery and good outcomes benefit many women with significant improvement in the quality of their lives after partial or total mastectomy for cancer. Many plastic surgeons, including both editors, started their careers by doing breast reconstruction and have gained extensive clinical experience over the years. Although there are many published books on breast reconstruction, most books are either too extensive or not comprehensive enough. Because of the increased incidence of breast reconstructive surgery, many plastic surgeons have focused their clinical practice on this area. For this reason, there is a need to create an atlas of reconstructive breast surgery that is not too extensive, but comprehensive enough, to cover all contemporary breast reconstructive surgery. In 2017 both editors were approached by a worldrenowned medical publisher, Elsevier, to create an atlas of reconstructive breast surgery. We were asked to put together such an atlas that would be relatively handy and can be used worldwide by busy plastic surgeons for their daily practices in breast reconstruction. With these goals in mind, we have selected many international experts in breast reconstruction who have been at the forefront of breast reconstructive surgery. We have put together a 24-chapter atlas on reconstructive breast surgery that should be a good reference for most reconstructive breast surgeons. In this atlas, we have eight chapters that focus on autologous breast reconstruction. Among these are chapters on free TRAM flaps, free muscle-sparing TRAM flaps, and DIEP flaps, the three primary work horses. In addition, advanced microsurgical breast reconstruction is presented including SIEA flaps, gluteal artery perforator flaps, profound artery perforator flaps, and transverse upper gracilis flaps. The traditional pedicled TRAM flap and latissimus dorsi flap are also included in this atlas.

This textbook has beenwrittenwiththe intentionofproviding the reader with a pragmatic approach to the diagnosis and management of patients presenting with a broad range of oculoplastic, orbital, andlacrimalproblems anddisorders. This third edition has been updated, improved, and expanded. Althoughaimedprimarilyat theophthalmologistwithamajor interest in the subspecialty, it should prove very useful to clinicians of all grades and experience in several other specialties that share an interest in thefields of ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery, orbital and lacrimal surgery:
● Plastic surgeons
● Maxillofacial surgeons
● ENT surgeons
● Neurosurgeons
● Dermatologists and dermatological surgeons
● Neuroradiologists
● Cosmetic physicians The reader should already have acquired a basic knowledge of eyelid, orbital, and facial anatomy and should seek to expand this knowledge as much as possible. As the eye, periocular area, and orbit represent a major crossroads of surgical anatomical dissection, the surgeon/clinician who wishes to contribute to this field should acquire a very detailed knowledge of the anatomy of this area and its adjacent structures. Applied anatomy relevant to each problem/disorder and to each surgical procedure is presented in detail in an updated dedicated anatomy chapter and the surgical and nonsurgical procedures described are based on anatomical principles as much as possible. Important principles are highlighted in the text as key points in boxes. Pertinent clinical signs, investigations, surgical indications, important technical considerations, and complications receive appropriate emphasis in each chapter. The surgical techniques and procedures described are not exhaustive but represent those most commonly used in the author’s own practice. The text is accompanied by a considerable number of high-quality color photographs, complementary original illustrations, and some high definition videos. References have not been cited throughout the text; instead, further reading lists havebeenprovided at the endof each chapter to serve as a starting point for those who may wish to pursue additional information.