The enthusiastic feedback received from readers of the international best-seller "Schein's Common Sense Emergency Abdominal Surgery" inspired the editors to do a similar book dedicated to surgical complications: practical, non-formal, internationally relevant (in all types of practice and levels of hospitals) -- and definitely not politically correct: what is considered taboo by others is not taboo for us; here we discuss everything! As in the editors' previous book, the use of references is restricted to the absolute minimum, and citing figures and percentages is avoided as much as possible. The chapters in this book are the opinion of experts -- each contributor has a vast personal knowledge and clinical experience in the field he is writing about. This book will help all surgeons (and their patients), avoid the misery of complications, and will provide advice on the management of those that are unavoidable. Complications and death are an integral component of surgery. Surgeons have to look death in the eyes, try to prevent it and vanquish it -- this is what this book is all about.

This, the 4th edition of Schein's Common Sense Emergency Abdominal Surgery, builds on the reputation of the three previous editions. Already a worldwide benchmark, translated into half a dozen languages, this book guides surgical trainees logically through the minefields of assessment and management of acute surgical abdominal conditions. General surgery as a concept may have been overtaken in many parts of the world by the development of niche specialties, but the need for a cohort of generalists able to deal competently with common surgical emergencies has not gone away. If you recognise this need then this is the book for you! Tyro surgeons and experienced practitioners alike will benefit from the distilled wisdom contained in these pages. The direct, no nonsense, writing style, supported by entertaining cartoons, gives clear guidance while at the same time providing amusing insights into our collective surgical psyche. NOT a standard textbook. Buy it! You will not regret it. Some new editors and authors enhance the new edition. Almost all chapters have been revised to take account of new concepts and modern developments. New chapters have been added and some completely rewritten often with a new emphasis on the importance of a laparoscopic approach.'

It is well known that certain diseases and patient conditions are associated with increased perioperative risk. The aim of this book is to define and identify the clinical factors that warrant a broader and more detailed assessment of pre-operative surgical risk in difficult and unusual clinical settings. One of the sections is dedicated to the main pathway of peri- and post-surgical critical care based on the patient-specific deterioration risk and associated diseases; here, a panel of selected experts describes the correct patient-oriented pathways for complex or unscheduled surgical operations in order to reduce the operative risk. In addition, the book describes the latest trends in minimally invasive surgical techniques that are associated with peri- and post-operative risk reduction, and provides an overview of recent advances in surgical simulation, focusing on perspectives in surgical research to increase patient safety. Guidance is also provided on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs), and their management in patients requiring emergency surgery. The book will help surgical trainees recognize cases with the highest surgical risk and identify the most common complications at an early stage.