2014 BMA Medical Book Awards Highly Commended in Surgery category! General Surgical Operations is a highly-praised and comprehensive textbook of operative surgery. It is a practical manual aimed at the surgeon who is about to carry out an operation, rather than just a description of the principles suitable for an examiner. Kirk's General Surgical Operations continues to be aimed at a broad readership: the candidate preparing for the Intercollegiate FRCS in General Surgery or international equivalents; the trained surgeon faced, through necessity, with undertaking an infrequently performed procedure; and the many surgeons working in hospitals throughout the world without access to specialist services. It remains above all a practical text which will guide the surgeon in training, or one unfamiliar with a procedure, on how to perform it, but more importantly on how to manage the uncertainties which so often arise This is a 'What to do' book. Using it the reader can aspire to gain diagnostic, decision making and operative surgical competence with confidence. The book is written in a clear and direct style and providing explicit instructions using descriptive headings for easy reference. The contents covers standard routine operations in full; non-routine and rarely performed operations are included only where appropriate and in lesser detail The text includes advice on topics such as patient selection; preparation and access to the site of operation; how to accomplish the procedure; closing and aftercare Difficulties are highlighted and advice given on how to respond to unexpected findings Each procedure is fully described thus avoiding repetitions and cutting cross-references to a minimum Regular summaries of key points in the decision making process are included. This Sixth Edition is now known as Kirk's General Surgical Operations in recognition of its distinguished founding editor, Professor RM Kirk, who is now Editor Emeritus on the textbook. The new editorial team for the Sixth Edition comprises a colorectal surgeon, a vascular surgeon and an orthopaedic surgeon The contents have been restructured and radically revised into 42 chapters, the majority of which have been completely rewritten. Laparoscopic techniques have been incorporated into all relevant chapters. All the illustrations have been redrawn to improve their clarity.