This text provides an overview of the current status of simulation in various surgical disciplines and explains the science of surgical education.

With the introduction of new post-graduate Medical training in the UK, virtually all doctors will be exposed to some form of surgical training prior to specialization. Many of these doctors will have little exposure to surgical emergencies in medical school. Thus, they may unnecessarily refer to a senior doctor when not needed, or catastrophically neglect a patient needing urgent surgical opinion. Surgical Emergencies in Clinical Practice is a compact resource which allows any clinician, without previous surgical knowledge, to be able to make an accurate diagnosis and have a treatment plan for the whole spectrum of surgical emergencies. The essential steps of initial management of all surgical emergencies is outlined in a manner that can be used on a day-to-day basis for clinical management. Written by experts in the field, Surgical Emergencies in Clinical Practice is a valuable tool for all junior doctors and medical students in the UK, Europe, Asia and North America. It will also be of interest to nurse practitioners, general practitioners and allied health professionals managing these patients.

Technology seems to be an integral part of modern living. Urologists have over the years embraced new technological advances for patient beneft. On some occasions, however, the initial enthusiasm in something new has failed to endure rigorous scientifc scrutiny. Thus, while being technological leaders, we urologists know better than most other surgical speci- ties that what is new is not necessarily good. This textbook is aimed at urologists and surgeons at all levels and has contributions from international experts. The topics vary from robotics to lasers to single port laparoscopy. The comprehensive chapters should be of equal interest to uro-oncologists and those involved in treating benign urological diseases. While the contents are meant to bring the reader up to date with technological advances, the authors have attempted to balance their enthusiasm with basic science, translational research, and clinical outcomes. It will be obvious that some of the s- jects mentioned here, such as nanotechnology, are still evolving, and it will be a while before they undergo clinical trials that establish their position in clinical medicine. We hope you enjoy reading this book as much as we have enjoyed creating it. London, UK Prof. Prokar Dasgupta Dublin, Ireland Prof. John Fitzpatrick London, UK Prof. Roger Kirby CA, USA Prof. Inderbir S. Gill vii Acknowledgements The editors thank all authors for their time and valuable contributions. We are also grateful to our developmental editors Joni Fraser and Barbara Lopez-Lucio.

Robotics is one of the hottest topics in medicine today, with an international interest that is exponentially growing. The introduction of robotic technology into modern operating theatres has provoked a revolutionary change in the basic surgical approach, with many advantages over traditional open surgical treatment, including faster recovery and a significantly lower risk of surgical trauma.

While the benefits of minimally invasive surgery are apparent, the expansion of laparoscopic surgery throughout the field has been relatively slow due to the steep learning curve and the level of practice and specialism required to perform such procedures. Although revolutionary upon conception, standard laparoscopy involves the surgeon working from monitors with no depth perception and also with a surgical motion that is counter-intuitive. The introduction of robotic technology however, has surpassed the traditional laparoscopic approach by providing full three dimensional vision, intuitive motion and wristed instrumentation with motion scaling.

These dramatic innovations have broadened the scope of surgeons that can now perform complex laparoscopy, and while still in its infancy, robotic assisted surgery has begun to infiltrate all fields of surgery. However, while the practical adoption of the techniques and procedures has increased over the last 5 years, the educational resources have not, leaving the only available learning tools as videos, case observation and proctorships.

There is therefore a severe market void for such a publication as this, with steadily growing sales around the world of robotic surgical systems. A compact book, overseen by such a respected figure and featuring contributions from the field leaders, is sure to be very successful within the next few years.