Advances in Abdominal Surgery 2002 contains papers from a group of Italian academic surgeons who contribute to a national research program entitled Progress in Abdominal Surgery'. The research is supported by the Italian Ministry of the University. The primary objective of the group is to combine experimental and clinical approaches in the study of several surgical abdominal diseases. The authors of the individual chapters were requested to present an update in their own fields of research. This volume summarizes several important updates in abdominal surgery and pathophysiology. The contributions are grouped into six sections, namely Surgical Infection, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic and Splenic Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Fecal Incontinence, Minimally-Invasive Surgery, and Transplantation.

"Potential anatomical spaces" have attracted surgeons in the past and in recent years. Due to the development of modern imaging techniques and the advent of minimally invasive surgery, access to these spaces has become a real surgical option.

The purpose of this book is to document the challenges related to "potential anatomical spaces," traditionally described as "hidden" spaces.

The spread of video-assisted surgery and its application in the management of diseases involving organs or anatomical structures placed in the "potential spaces" (neck, mediastinum, pro-peritoneum and retro-peritoneum, subfacial space of the leg, and axilla), has rendered their surgical anatomy less abstract.

"Potential anatomical spaces" have attracted surgeons in the past and in recent years. Due to the development of modern imaging techniques and the advent of minimally invasive surgery, access to these spaces has become a real surgical option. The purpose of this book is to document the challenges related to "potential anatomical spaces", traditionally described as "hidden" spaces. The spread of video-assisted surgery and its application in the management of diseases involving organs or anatomical structures placed in the "potential spaces" (neck, mediastinum, pro-peritoneum and retro-peritoneum, subfacial space of the leg, and axilla), has rendered their surgical anatomy less abstract.