Sex Hormone Replacement Therapy addresses important issues in contemporary endocrinology. Its major emphasis is on the consequences of the menopause and on androgen deficiency in the absence of overt disease of the hypothalamus and/or pituitary in men. The use of hormone therapy for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women has become an area of major debate, and the pros and cons are examined in detail. Secondary prevention also remains controversial and is addressed in this volume. An issue of particular concern is the treatment of estrogen deficiency symptoms in women with the diagnosis of breast cancer. Whether older men with some androgen deficiency symptoms and equivocally low plasma testosterone concentrations should be treated with androgens is also a matter of great debate, as is the efficacy and safety of plant estrogens in the treatment of menopause-related complaints. Sex Hormone Replacement Therapy will be of interest to students and non-specialists, as well as a wide range of medical practitioners including endocrinologists, gynecologists, rheumatologists and cardiologists.

Neuroendocrine Perspectives, Volume 7, is part of an international book series designed to keep clinicians and researchers appraised of important trends and new data in basic and clinical neuroendocrinology. It focuses on four very rapidly evolving major topics: - the role of dopaminergic regulation of the intermediate pituitary lobe in elucidating intracellular signal transaction pathways and other regulatory mechanisms involved in transsynaptic regulation of peptide biosynthesis, post-translational processing, and hormone secretion; - the physiological and clinical implications of corticotropin releasing factor for such areas as diagnosing Cushing's syndrome, defining the hypothalamic and pituitary origins of secondary adrenal insufficiency, and distinguishing Cushing's syndrome from psychiatric states associated with hypercortisolism; - the large number of neurotrophic factors that affect CNS neurons and of neurite promoting factors that modulate neuronal performance, with emphasis on their mechanisms of action and their possible therapeutic applications to peripheral neuropathies and central diseases; - and the many factors that regulate changes in female reproductive cycles during middle age, with careful distinction between neuroendocrine and ovarian components and special attention to the possible cause-and-effect relationship within the cascade of events resulting in acyclicity and infertility.

Bernard (Barney) Berelson had a major influence in the application of social science concepts and methods to population policy during the period from 1962 to 1980. This was the period when concern with population problems spread from a relatively small group of scholars and population activists to a much larger, diverse, international group of political and intellectual leaders and to the general public as well. There was an exponential growth in the number of scholars and service personnel in vari ous population and family specialities in this period. Barney came into the field with his appointment as Director of the Com munication Research Program of The Population Council in 1962. He had no previous training or experience in demography. Frank Notestein, Presi dent of The Population Council at the time, had the wisdom to appreciate the value and relevance of Barney's itTIpressive background in communica tion research and other social science areas, as well as his creative mind and leadership qualities. His influence on the Council's rapidly expanding program was so immediate and impressive that within a year, he was named Vice President. When Frank Notestein retired in 1968, Barney became President, a post he held for 6 very productive years."

Ovulation Induction gives an integrated view of basic ovarian physiology, pathophysiology, and the clinical management of ovulatory disorders. It provides core information upon which specialists can base clinical decisions. The most important feature is the inclusion of newer agents now available for ovulation induction. Newer clinical applications for older medications as well as various treatment combinations (including GnRH analogs) are thoroughly discussed. There is a frank discussion of risks, side effects, and the expense related to ovulation inducing agents. Many of the results in this book have never before been published in book form. Topics examined include the neuroendocrine regulation of the menstrual cycle, ovarian physiology and in vitro fertilization, the diagnosis of ovulation and the role of ultrasound in monitoring the follicular response, the use of clomiphene citrate for ovulation induction, and the role of bromocriptine and related compounds for ovulation induction in hyperprolactinemia.

Progress in biomedical science has called for an international discussion of the medical, ethical, and legal problems that confront physicians, medical researchers, infertile couples, pregnant women, and parents of premature or disabled infants. In addition, the unprecedented technological developments in obstetrical, perinatal, and neonatal medicine in recent years have indicated a need for an international forum for interdisciplinary dialogue regarding the definition of early human life, the neurological development of early human life, the value of early human life, the obligations for its protection and prolongation, and the limits to these obligations.

Leading workers in the field of human reproduction provide both basic knowledge and useful practical information in this book about the most critical phase in the development of a new human being: the first twelve weeks of life. The period from fertilization and implantation to the end of the first trimester is still insufficiently understood and marks a new frontier. The knowledge necessary for applying our present diagnostic capabilities and for venturing into the problematic areas of fertilization technology and embryonic treatment is made easily available in this comprehensive textbook. The book is divided into two parts. The first presents basic information about physiology, anatomy, in vivo investigations, biochemistry and legal aspects. The second part focuses on pregnancy development, monitoring and the clinical diagnosis and management of disorders in the early stages of life. A full section is devoted to assisted conception and the newest possibilities in fertilizationtechnologies, whereby the ethical aspects are also discussed.

Interest in bone densitometry methods has recently experienced a resurgence within the medical community. Physicians have become more interested than ever before in the diagnosis and treatment of degenerative diseases of bone such as osteoporosis. The public perception of osteoporosis and its prevention has been recently heightened. Because osteoporosis is widespread, especially in women, and leads to an increase in fractures in our population, many re searchers and clinicians are strongly motivated in their search for more sensi tive and accurate methods of diagnosis. This book was written for physicians, scientists, engineers, medical phy sicists, and others desiring an introduction or further understanding of this exciting field. Beginning with the early development of x-ray film methods for assessing bone status, the field has steadily grown throughout the years. Novel and interesting devices have been designed for the measurement of bone mass, bone density, cortical thickness, and other parameters of bone changes. Both qualitative and quantitative bone methods are described. The techniques include imaging devices such as CT and radiography as well as fixed point methods in which bone characteristics of a region of interest are analyzed."

SIDNEY CALLAHAN AND DANIEL CALLAHAN This book, like many other things to do with abortion, is a product of long controversy. Though carried out with cooperation, it was conceived in conflict. The conflict between the coeditors has per sisted for years-in fact, for at least half of their thirty-year marriage. One, Sidney, is prolife; the other, Daniel, is prochoice. Ever since the topic of abortion became of professional interest to us, in the 1960s, we have disagreed. At one time, while Daniel was writing a book on the subject, Abortion: Law, Choice and Morality (1970), we talked about the subject every day for the four years of the book's gestation. On many occasions during the 1970s, prolife articles writ ten by Sidney were passed out at Daniel's lectures in order to refute his pro choice views. Over the years, every argument, every statistic, every historical example cited in the literature has been discussed by the two of us. As Eliza Doolittle says about "words" in My Fair Lady, "There's nota one I haven't heard. " And yet we still disagree. How can it be, we ask ourselves, that intelligent people of goodwill who know all the same facts and all the same arguments still come down on different sides of the con troversy? As we well know, it is possible to agree about many things and have great love and respect for an opponent, and still differ."

For the third time, specialists from all over the world met to present their most recent scientific results and to update their knowledge in the expand ing field of nutrition and, osteoporosis. Major nutrition-al factors, such as calcium and vitamin D, were reexamined, with special attention on the ef fects of calcium, given either as a supplement or in dairy products in chil dren and adolescents, and to vitamin D supplementation in the elderly. The RDA for calcium was questioned, and the calcium requirement was rede fined. Special attention was paid to proteins and their growth promoting action via IGF-l, as well as to the profound effects on calcium and bone metabolism of vegetarian diets or diets rich in acidic or alkaline foods. Although considered an environmental factor influencing the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, nutrition was discussed in relation to genetic conditions, because certain genetic conditions modifY patients' responses to nutritional deficiencies and to supplementary interventions. These proceedings report the wide spectrum of research currently being undertaken and the new perspectives this presents and emphasize the sig nificant and important impact of nutrition on bone health and disease."

Early Life Origins of Health and Disease is a new book which presents and discusses the many factors that may have impact on normal development. In a concise and readable manner, the authors consider both the proven and suggestive evidence that the high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and, in some populations, kidney disease, may not be all due to genetics or adult environment alone. There is good evidence that stress and more subtle dietary deficiencies, as well as placental malfunction, may increase the risk that the offspring will develop these problems in later life. Finally, new and emerging evidence for other areas of human health and disease such a motor control and mental health is critically reviewed for the first time. The book is a 'must' for all scientists interested in researching these areas, as there is a critical evaluation of the methodology used and suggestions for the 'optimal' way in which to investigate these phenomena.

ThisbookcomprisesthescientificproceedingsoftheInternationalWorkshop onDigitalMammography(IWDM),heldinBremen,Germany,fromJune22 toJune25,2002. Sinceitsinceptionin1992,IWDMhasgrownintotheIn- ternationalForumonDigitalMammography. TheuniquenessofIWDMisits attractivenesstoresearchers,medicalpractitioners,andindustrialdevelopers. F6rmerworkshopswereheldinSanJose,USA(1992),York,UK(1994), Chicago,USA(1996),Nijmegen,NL(1998),andToronto,Canada(2000). Each ofthesescientificeventshasbeencombinedwithverysuccessfulandfocused industrialandresearchexhibits,whichdemonstratedthemilestonesofdigital mammographyhard-andsoftware. Now,thatdigitalmammographyisenteringroutineclinicaluse,wewitness itsstrongimpactonscreeninganddiagnosticmammography,computeraided detection,minimallyinvasiveprocedures,andthedevelopmentofsystemicand integrateddisease-orientedbreastcare. Inviewofthis,the2002workshoppro- videdawindowtogiveusaglanceatthefuture,andtheworkwhichwas presentedintalks,postersandexhibitshasdemonstratedthatIWDM2002will takeaspecialplaceintheverysuccessfulsequenceofIWDMevents. Finally,asconferencechair,Iwouldliketothankallwhohavehelpedtopre- pareandrunIWDM2002:theScientificAdvisoryBoardforitsexcellentworkin guaranteeingscientificsignificance,theOrganizationalBoardforitshardworkto accomplishanappropriateframeworkfortheevent,andtheindustrialexhibitors andsponsorsfortheirgeneroussupport. Bremen,January2003 Heinz-Otto Peitgen ConferenceChair ProfessorofMathematicsand BiomedicalSciences VI Scientific Committee SusanAstley UniversityofManchester,UK UlrichBick CharitBerlin,Germany/UniversityofChicago,USA MichaelBrady OxfordUniversity,UK HiroshiFujita GifuUniversity,Japan MaryellenGiger UniversityofChicago,USA NicoKarssemeijer UniversityHospitalNijmegen,TheNetherlands Heinz-OttoPeitgenUniversityofBremen,Germany EttaD. Pisano UniversityofNorthCarolina,USA MartinYaffe UniversityofToronto,Canada IWDM 2002 was supported by (MeViS SIEMENS BreastCare medical I' General Electric ARC-0 Fllmle. . Perfection for DI I JMammography Table of Contents Imaging Systems and Detectors...1 DigitalMammographicApplicationofaSinglePhotonCountingPixel Detector...3 Amendolia SR, Bisogni MG, Delogu P, Fantacci ME, Novelli M, Quattrocchi M, Rosso V, Stefanini A, Zucca S BreastCancerScreeningUsingaDedicatedBreastCTScanner:A FeasibilityStudy...6 Boone JM, Lindfors KK, Seibert JA, Nelson TR PhysicalEvaluationofaPrototypefortheSectraMicrodose MammographySystem...12 Lundqvist M, Bergstrom D, Cederstrom B, Chmill V, Chuntonov A, Danielsson M, Aslund M DoseMeasurementsonaScanningMulti-slitDigitalMammography System...17 Hansson B, Cederstrom B, Danielsson M, Aslund M DigitalMammographyvs. toScreen-FilmMammography:aPhantom Study...20 Heid P, PagliuchiC, Seradour B, Motte N, Langlois L, Kurkdjian S, Piana L MammographyTaxonomyforImprovementofLesionDetectionRates...27 Howard D, Roberts SC, Tabar L AHighResolution(25 p. m)HybridSelenium/CCDSlotScanDetector forDigitalMammography...33 Hunter DM, De CrescenzoG, Mainprize JG, Mawdsley GE, SmithC, Kasap SO, Rowlands JAR, Tumer T, Yin S, Yaffe MJ Co-registeredBreastImagingwith3DX-Raysand3DUltrasound...38 Kapur A, Eberhard JW, Abdalmajeid AM, Thomenius K ImagingCharacteristicsofaDirectConversionFull-FieldDigital MammographyDetectorusingSelenium...4 3 Lee DL, Yorker lG, ling Z, leromin LS SimultaneousAcquisitionofDiffraction,ScatteringandPhase-Contrast ImagesbyMeansofaMulti-LayerEdge-OnMicrostripDetector 48 Olivo A, Arfelli P, Bergamaschi A, Dreossi D, Longo R, Menk RH, Montanari F, Pani S, Poropat P, Rigon L, Vallazza E, Castelli E VIII FullFieldDigitalMammographywithaCCDBasedSlot-Scanned Detector. PhysicalCharacteristicsMeasurements...

Cancer and Pregnancy covers the clinical challenges to diagnosing and treating malignancies in the pregnant patient; however, the book also shows how an understanding of the common features of both processes (rapid cell proliferation) may lead to novel anti-cancer treatment options. The book should be read by obstetricians and gynaecologists, clinical oncologists, reproduction specialists, and those involved in investigation of development, biology, toxicology, immunology, as well as cancer research.

This practical handbook provides detailed guidelines on prescribing drugs in all classes and for a wide variety of diseases and disorders during pregnancy, with numerous boxes and tables to assist understanding. CONTENTS: Introduction to Drugs in Pregnancy * Antimicrobials during Pregnancy: Bacterial, Viral, Fungal, and Parasitic Indications * Cardiovascular Drugs during Pregnancy * Endocrine Disorders, Contraception, and Hormone Therapy during Pregnancy: Embryotoxic versus Fetal Effects * Antiasthma Agents during Pregnancy * Anesthetic Agents and Surgery during Pregnancy * Antineoplastic Drugs during Pregnancy * Analgesics during Pregnancy * Anticonvulsant Drugs during Pregnancy * Psychotropic Use during Pregnancy * Antihistamines, Decongestants, and Expectorants during Pregnancy * Nutritional and Dietary Supplementation during Pregnancy * Use of Dermatologics during Pregnancy * Drug Overdoses during Pregnancy * Miscellaneous Drugs during Pregnancy: Tocolytics, Immunosuppressants, and Biologic Therapeutics * Substance Abuse during Pregnancy * Online Support Material

TheRoutledge International Handbook of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health is the authoritative reference work on important, leading-edge developments in the domains of women’s sexual and reproductive health.

The handbook adopts a life-cycle approach to examine key milestones and events in women’s sexual and reproductive health. Contributors drawn from a range of disciplines, including psychology, medicine, nursing and midwifery, sociology, public health, women’s studies, and indigenous studies, explore issues through three main lenses:

the biopsychosocial model

feminist perspectives

international, multidisciplinary perspectives that acknowledge the intersection of identities in women’s lives.

The handbook presents an authoritative review of the field, with a focus on state-of-the-art work, encouraging future research and policy development in women’s sexual and reproductive health. Finally, the handbook will inform health care providers about the latest research and clinical developments, including women’s experiences of both normal and abnormal sexual and reproductive functions.

Drawing upon international expertise from leading academics and clinicians in the field, this is essential reading for scholars and students interested in women’s reproductive health.

Table of Contents

Author biographies

Introduction – Joan C. Chrisler, Jane M. Ussher and Janette Perz

Part I: Menarche, menstruation and menopause

1. Pubertal development and menarche: physiological and developmental aspects – Margaret L. Stubbs

2. Menarche. psychosocial and cultural aspects – Maria Luisa Marván and Verónica Alcalá–Herrera

3. The menstrual cycle: its biology in the context of silent ovulatory disturbances – Jerilynn C. Prior

4. The menstrual cycle: attitudes and behavioral concomitants – Joan C. Chrisler and Jenifer A. Gorman

5. Premenstrual mood disorders: a feminist psychosocial perspective – Jane M. Ussher and Janette Perz

6. Menopause and midlife: psychosocial perspectives and interventions – Myra S. Hunter

Part II: Reproductive and gynecological disorders

7. Menstrual-cycle-related disorders: polycystic ovary syndrome, dysmenorrhea and menstrual migraine – Nancy Fugate Woods and Nancy J. Kenney

8. Women’s experience of endometriosis – Elaine Denny and Annalise Weckesser

9. Breast and reproductive cancers: genomics and risks – Cheryl B. Travis

10. Psychosocial aspects of women’s sexual and reproductive well-being after cancer – Chloe Parton

Part III: Contraception and infertility

11. Contraception across the reproductive life-course – Deborah Bateson

12. Abortion in context – Jeanne Marecek

13. Women’s experiences of infertility – Jessica L. Barnack–Tavlaris

14. Fertility and cancer – Michelle Peate, Lesley Stafford and Yasmin Jayasinghe

15. Assisted conception: fertility preservation, surrogate motherhood, gamete/embryo donation and in vitro fertilization – Olga B. A. van den Akker

Part IV: Pregnancy and childbirth

16. ‘Adolescent pregnancy’: social problem, public health concern, or neither? – Catriona Ida Macleod and Tracey Feltham–King

17. Smoking and pregnancy: risk factors, women’s experiences and interventions – Michael Ussher, Felix Naughton, Cailtlin Notley and Linda Bauld

18. Medical aspects of pregnancy – Annemarie Hennessy

19. Miscarriage – Heather Rowe and Alexandra J. Hawkey

20. The ultimate in women’s labor: stillbirth and grieving – Joanne Cacciatore and Jill Wieber Lens

21. Psychological aspects of pregnancy and pregnancy health care in their social and cultural contexts – Jane R.W. Fisher and Karin Hammarberg

22. Childbirth and sexuality – Hannah H. Dahlen and Sahar Sobhgol

23. Postpartum adjustment: psychological aspects – Paula Nicolson

24. Understanding perinatal mental health problems: prevalence, risk factors, approaches to prevention, early identification and treatment – Virginia Schmied

Part V: Sexuality and sexual health

25. Women’s sexual health and embodiment – Niva Piran

26. Sexual health of adolescent girls – S. Rachel Skinner, Cristyn Davies, Jennifer Marino, Jessica R. Botfield and Larissa Lewis

27. Older women and sexual health: social, relational and medical considerations – Camille J. Interligi and Maureen C. McHugh

28. Sexuality and sexual dysfunction: psychological perspectives and interventions – Julia Velten and Sonia Milani

29. Sexuality and sexual dysfunction: critical analyses – Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Lianne A. Rosen, Maxime Charest and Alyson K. Spurgas

30. HIV, STIs, risk taking and sexual health – Jennifer Power

31. Impacts of sexual violence on women’s sexual health – Kyja Noack–Lundberg

32. Feminist perspectives on child sexual abuse – Sam Warner

33. Female genital mutilation and genital surgeries – Hilary Burrage

Part VI. Marginalized women’s health

34. Shame, silence and secrecy: migrant and refugee women’s sexual and reproductive health and embodiment – Alexandra Hawkey

35. Reproductive health disparities among women experiencing homelessness – Courtney Cronley and Shamsun Nahar

36. Reproductive justice and culturally safe approaches to sexual and reproductive health for indigenous women and girls – Pat Dudgeon and Abigail Bray

37. Reproductive health of women in low- and middle-income countries – Kirsten I. Black and Miriam O’Connor

38. Experiences of reproductive and sexual health and health care among women with disabilities – Heather Dillaway, Brianna Marzolf, Heather Fritz, Wassim Tarraf and Catherine Lysack

39. Women with intellectual and developmental impairments: differences not deficits – Jan Burns

40. Lesbian, bisexual, queer and transgender women’s sexual and reproductive health – Ruth P. McNair

Index/

"Duplex Sonography" is the first comprehensive text written about this modality. The book offers the reader detailed information about all major uses of duplex and is introduced by a brief chapter on the physical principles of doppler ultrasound as it relates to duplex scanning. "Duplex " "Sonography" is intended to provide relevant information on all aspects of the technique, ranging from the basics of performing the examination to the features of sometimes complex pathological states. The book is intended for anyone interested in non-invasive vascular diagnosis including radiologists, vascular surgeons and ultrasound/peripheral vascular technologists. Other groups may find individual chapters appealing: carotid/cardiac sonography for cardiologists, fetal sonography for obstetricians or carotid sonography for neurologists. Each chapter is not only a guide to duplex evaluation, but also provides valuable information about vascular dynamics of the organ system under discussion. Physicians or technologists reading this book should come away with a well-rounded background in state-of-the-art duplex sonography and will undoubtedly discover new possibilities for using this non-invasive vascular technique.

This volume includes the latest diagnostic criteria for PCOS and comprises the most up-to-date information about the genetic features and pathogenesis of PCOS. It critically reviews the methodological approaches and the evidence for various PCOS susceptibility genes. The book also discusses additional familial phenotypes of PCOS and their potential genetic basis. All four editors of this title are extremely prominent in the field of PCOS.

Years of involvement, firsthand experience and research at the Menopause Clinic of the Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, exist as the background to this book. The Clinic itself, however, as one of the first in the world to be established, if not the first, has a story and a lesson of its own to offer, and is therefore deserving of a brief description as the preface to the book. In 1967, shortly after Christiaan Barnard had completed the historical first human heart transplant at the Groote Schuur Hospital, I happened to be in West Berlin and was invited to visit a major international pharmaceutical firm. A new female hormone was mentioned, and thereby started my interest in the subject. Upon my return to Cape Town, I spent many hours in the large medical school library and completely surveyed the menopause literature to 1967. I was stunned by its general inadequacy and was bitten by a challenge to clarify what menopause really was, and to define the proper place of hormone replacement therapy.

Yury Verlinskyand Anver Kuliev Reproductive Genetics Institute, Illinois Masonic Medical Center, 836 W. Wellington chicago, IL 60657 Although introduction of a first trimester prenatal diagnosis by chorionic viIIus sampling (CVS) has considerably improved the possibility for prevention of genetic diseases, it requires a selective abortion in case of an affected fetus. Following the direction of an earlier prenatal diagnosis and to avoid the need for abortion, preimplantation genetic diagnosis has been initiated based on polar body removal and pre-embryo biopsy. The First International symposium on Preimplantation Genetics, Chicago, September 17-19, 1990, was organized to explore these important developments, to review the state of knowledge in the field, and to address existing problems to be solved for developing and improving current approaches for preimplantation diagnosis of genetic disorders. A growing interest in the subject was obvious from the wide attendance of the meeting: over 250 scientists from 19 countries participated. This was the first attempt to put together the advances in different areas of basic and applied research relevant to Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, with the multidisciplinary scientific program including the sessions on embryology, micromanipulation and biopsy, genetic analysis of gametes and pre-embryos, IVF, gene expression and gene therapy, and ethical and legal issues. The deliberations of the Symposium presented in the above mentioned sessions, which comprise the contents of correspond ing sections of the Proceedings, open a newarea in medical research based on the interaction of IVF and New Genetics."

There can never be enough material in the public domain about cancers, and particularly breast cancer. This book adds much to the literature. It provides general information on breast cancer management and considers all new methods of diagnosis and therapy. It focuses on nuclear medicine modalities by comparing their results with other diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The coverage provides readers with up-to-date knowledge on breast cancer as well as information on the advances in the field of diagnosis. It also details data on the development of some new modalities and provides a general overview of the available tools for breast cancer treatment.

- With a dramatic increase in knowledge of anorectal physiology and imaging over the last five years, this book provides a comprehensive study of anorectal assessment.

- Explores all the lastest techniques and treatments in the field

- Organized into two, easy to manage, sections

- First book to pull a diverse area together and includes 3-D ultrasound, transperineal ultrasonography and dynamic MRI not found in other texts on anorectal disorders

This is the first book to specifically deal with hidradenitis suppurativa, a common but overlooked disease that regularly causes significant problems for both patients and doctors. The first section of this book presents the best current knowledge about diagnosis, pathogenesis and complications. The second section offers comprehensive guidelines on diagnosis and therapy. The book will assist doctors in providing a broader range of treatments for their patients. To increase the practical usefulness of the book, a description of the patients' perspective and patient information is included.

Crib death (SIDS) is the most frequent cause of death for infants during the first year. A systematic study of the autonomic nervous system and cardiac system has been performed on a large number of infants and fetuses who died suddenly and unexpectedly, as well as in age-matched control cases. The neurological and cardiac findings are described here, and the relationship between SIDS and unexplained fetal death is discussed.

The only book to deal specifically with constipation for specialists has been updated to include all the new advances since the first edition (1995). These advances include biofeedback, surgery for constipation, sacral nerve stimulation, the use of laparoscopy for rectal prolapse, treament and our understanding of some of the psychological problems of these patients. Innovations also include Professor Norman Williams Malone Procedure and the newer pharmacologic treatments such as nitric oxide and botulinum toxin injections.

Over the past ten years, carbon dioxide laser surgery has made impressive strides and is now applied to every field of surgery without exception. It is the intention of this book to record the work done in this field in the Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Beilinson Medical Center and Tel Aviv University Medical School, Israel, as well as that performed in association with other depart ments. In this context, one feels that it is incumbent upon one to acknowledge the cooperation of the medical and paramedical staff of the Department of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Beilinson Medical Center, as well as that of Prof. Yehuda Shindel and Dr. Daniel Katenelson of the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Dr. Y ona Tadir of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Dr. Itamar Kott of the Department of General Surgery. I should like to make special mention of Dr. Ralph Ger of New York, who worked with me on the original clinical trials, and the engineer Uzi Sharon, who developed the Sharplan Laser with me. The progress of Laser Surgery is well demonstrated by the participation in the four meetings of the International Society for Laser Surgery, the first of which was held in Tel Aviv in 1975 with an attendance of 65 and the last in Tokyo in 1981 with an attendance of 1200.