Surgery Books

Johnson's book is an excellent resource for anyone with rotator cuff issues. It is well written and easy to understand.

This book, written by a Physical Therapist, explains and shows the muscles involved in the rotator cuff more clearly than any other anatomy book I've picked up on the subject. He explains what muscles you are strengthening for each exercise. Stretching, very much like yoga stretching, is also included. If I could talk to the author, I would ask him to look up Supported Headstand as a very effective treatment for RCS, too. This is thoroughly explained in volume 16 of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy in a research article entitled Headstand for Rotator Cuff Tear: Shirshasana or Surgery.

So easy to understand! I know have a good knowledge of how the shoulder works. The exercises are very helpful. Got me closer of achieving zero pain. Hardly have pain anymore, mostly tight or a little uncomfortable but that's better than chronic pain ay!! It only takes around 3-4 hours to read. DO IT IF YOU KAIN'T TAKES NO MORES!!

I was afraid I would never be able to lift weights again. Both of my shoulders were in pain, even causing me to have to lie on my back to sleep. I read this book carefully, and have followed the exercise exactly as he directs, and I have zero pain in my shoulders now ! Zero ! And I'm back to lifting weights !
I can't tell you how impressed I am with the research that went into Mr. Johnson's work. He only goes by scientific evidence based upon peer-reviewed, randomized controlled trials. This stuff really works!
By the way, I had the same experience with my back problems after reading "Treat Your Own Back" by Dr. McKenzie
Thank you Mr. Johnson!
Ken
Los Angeles, CA

I hurt my rotator cuffs doing some bag work. I waited a long time (I'm a guy) to go into an ortho. He gave me the advice to work on my posture, lose weight and a photocopy of some exercises to do. Told me that how I injured myself didn't matter, fixing it was what counted. Well, posture and losing weight solved that problem.

Had a completely different feeling problem. Went back after eight months of worsening pain. Same diagnosis, they told me it was "referred pain" which was why it felt completely different. Same exercises. You can find them all over the internet.

Didn't do much for me. I slowly got more or less better on my own. But, I had nagging pain every morning, the exercises and stretches did nothing for me.

Rather than go back, I decided to try this book first, based on recommendations from a friend I followed up.

First, the explanations aside, the core of the book is short. You are only going to do about four exercises and four stretches at any one time. There are routines for severe to very mild problems (beginning to advanced).

Second, the explanations made sense and I've been able to apply them to a few other areas.

But, it has been less than a month and I'm waking up pain free from time to time, the first time in a very long time.

Would I pay this much for a paperback? Not usually, but it was a lot better than blowing half a day off from work seeing the ortho sports med guy again. Would I buy a book when the internet is swimming with essays, charts, etc.?

Well, but for the fact it works and the free stuff didn't, no. But the free stuff doesn't quite put it all together the way this does and it didn't quite do the trick.

If you've got pain, if your doctor's routines haven't really done much for you, if the internet hasn't led you anywhere new, you might really want to try this book. It has details on how to do things, number of repetitions, how long to hold the stretches, etc.

Simple? Yes. Five to ten minutes a day simple, but just the right five to ten minutes a day have made all the difference for me.

If you have not read Dr. Karl's book you are missing this summer's #1 read. His insightful, thought provoking writing style takes you inside the operating room and so much more. I was deeply moved by his experiences and his notable style of writing about them.

naturally i give this 5 stars becaue the author is my uncle but it is truely a GREAT book a must read

I was a patient of Dr. Karl's back in April 2002. I was in my mid 30's and of course scared to death of surgery. Dr. Karl was the 4th surgeon that I had consulted. Once I met him, I knew he was the surgeon for me. His understanding of what I was going through, his grace, his medical experience. I could go on and on.

When I heard he had written a book, I had to read it. As a patient of Dr. Karl's, when I was reading his book, I felt he was writing from his heart. There was no fluff in this book. Dr. Karl is a wonderful man, surgeon, person and spirit. I am sure Dr. Karl has touch so many people's lives. This book is a must read for patients and surgeons!
Tammy (Brock) Cartiglia

I was totally engrossed with this book. I have read several books recounting the life of Doctors in training and although I also found those fascinating, this one was great because it came from a different perspective.
I would sure feel much better facing a major medical need in my life with a sugeon who's understanding of the human condition is as keen as Dr. Karl's. Thanks for sharing you journey in medicine with us Dr. Karl.

A wonderful collection of stories about surgical life and how being a patient has made this surgeon a better health care provider. Karl does a terrific job of relating the hopes and fears that a surgeon has when performing his duties. The frailties and strengths of both patients and surgeons. Things that have gone right and things that haven't. The author has an obvious passion about his work and just as obvious compassion for his patients. Karl's unique writing style and skill really take the reader there. His descriptions of the feelings, moods and events are right on the mark.

ya! it is expensive .. yet itu is a must book for all surgeons who would keep their surgical knowledge ..

This is a fundamental in a surgical education. Some changes since the last edition about 10%. It extremely well written.

This nook is an excellent review of the current surgical therapy. It provides quick and current references for both practising surgeons and trainees

A must-read to prepare for oral exams, or to quickly review concepts of patient management. The new edition has some significant updates in laparoscopy and trauma care, but has lapsed somewhat in quality. Doesn't replace a good surgical reference like Schwartz, Sabiston, or Greenfield.

I'm disappointed by many errors in this edition. Some chapters have some small errors missed by the editing team. Some chapters are also based on the opinions of individual authors, and may not necessarily reflect the current standard of care. It would have been nice to see some more evidence-based material added. For example, the chapter on laparoscopic CBDE may be applicable to large academic centres, but I don't think it reflects most surgical centres in the world. I would have liked to see a bit more on open CBDE.

The many illustrations are mostly illegible. This is unacceptable for a reference-level publication. It reflects poorly on the credibility of the publisher and makes me question the rest of the book.

Overall a disappointment. A previous edition supplemented with a quick internet search might offer better information.

This is THE book for a senior surgical resident to purchase. It is updated every 3 years, and reflects advances in techniques, preoperative and postoperative evaluation, and clinical management decision making for all of the commonly encountered problems in general surgery. The authors do not merely rehash the previous edition, but present the information in a clear, concise, and enjoyable text with good tables and images. It has been very helpful to me in my Chief year, and I expect it to help me pass my boards. A MUST HAVE!!!

This is the only useful book I've seen about breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery, and it really does a great job. The majority of the book would really be useful for women who have had any type of breast surgery and are worried about breastfeeding successfully. There's really detailed information about just about anything you'd need to know -- and a lot of information that it would have never occurred to me to look for, but I'm so grateful to have! The book has a lot of detail on how to prepare in advance, where to go for support, what positions might work best, how breast surgery can affect latch and let-down and the rest of the breastfeeding process, the pros and cons of using pumps to increase supply, using at-breast supplementers rather than bottles, different techniques to increase supply, etc.

Some of the information in the book is now out-of-date (especially regarding the use of artificial nipples for bottle feeding and pacifiers), and the author has updated information on the website (www.bfar.org). The other concern is, of course, that the book is now out of print.

Luckily on both counts, the author's website reports that a revised edition is in the works -- I can't wait, but I'm glad I have this copy -- and the author's website -- in the meantime.

This book was suggested by a doula friend and it was exactly what I needed to read. It had all the information necessary as well as all the what if's. If you had a previous surgery and plan to breastfeed you must read this. Because of this book I was able to fully feed my child without supplementing!

I'd been doing BFAR (Breastfeeding After Reduction Surgery) for three months before I discovered this book and I really wish I'd had it from the beginning. It's basically a textbook and goes into great detail about how the surgery could have affected your breastfeeding ability and what you can do if you have a low milk supply (herbs, prescription medications, pumping, psychological exercises). It goes into the emotional issues you may be dealing with and discusses methods of supplementing your baby with donated human milk or formula. There is also a section in the back for professionals who may be working with BFAR mothers.

It is very pro breastfeeding, but not in a way that I felt bullied. I did feel a little guilty that there were things I could have done in the first month that I didn't know about until reading the book, but the section on emotional issues helped with that, saying not to feel guilty over decisions you made in the past when you had different information.

This book is informative and encouraging - and HIGHLY recommended for any doctor, mid-wife, or nurse, as well as for anyone who has had this type of surgery.

I am pregnant with my second child and bought this book in hopes of nursing the baby when it is born. It is a very informative, well-written book and has a lot of good information for those who are considering or have had a breast reduction, and want to nurse.

Prof Terry Brown was one of my tutors when I was a student and the book, like the man himself, is a wealth of information which I referred to constantly. He is an excellent tutor, and the book reflects this fact. It was an enormous help to me, as indeed Terry Brown himself was.

"...probably the most up-to-date textbook on molecular biology...a useful text...and reference..." (Annals of Pharmacotherapy, September 2003)

"...a second edition to incorporate new developments in genome science and to make the book more `user friendly'...the book substantially exceeds that modest objective; this is a text suitable for anyone who does not specialize in genome science." (Clinical Chemistry, Vol. 48, No. 12)

"...this didactic masterpiece...model of a modern university textbook deserves to be read and studied by...students worldwide." (Modern Pathology, Vol. 15, No. 9, 2002)

"...a marvelous text...plenty of definitions and excellent illustrations essential for an introductory textbook...the reader is...guided wonderfully through the text...this text is an essential cornerstone of information..." (Pharmaceutical Research, Vol. 19, No. 12, December 2002)

Phil Borges has the rare ability to make a still photo speak. If a picture is worth a thousand words, Borges' pictures are an encyclopedia of feelings, experiences, history and cultures.
If you love meaningful photography, check out Phil Borges' work.

All I have to say is if you look at the photographs in this book and don't feel something, then you are not alive.

this is an absolutely beautiful book, and the essay by Diane Ackerman is captivating and very moving. A very special book.

I received this book as a gift ... I've read it three times already, and I go back to it whenever I need a little inspiration!

this is a very touching book with exquisite photographs (I'd like to learn this technique). The stories are unforgettable.

This is a wonderful, hilarious, moving account of how Dr. Vertosick progressed(or regressed?) from a mere mortal of a junior medical student to a god of Neurosurgery. It is filled with comedy and tragedy--both of which are chronicled by the author with uncompromising honesty and compassion. A great book for the non-medically-inclined reader!

The book starts out a little slow, but it does pick some speed. This is a narration of the life of a young (and naïve) neurosurgeon in residency. Frank Vertosick shares some profound experiences in this unsparing book, which will be particularly useful to those who want to know what residency entails - it's challenging and interesting points.

Among Vertosick's stories is one about a young man taken into the hospital with the then-unknown disease of AIDS. He became the first person reported to that particular health department with the strange new illness. We are also told heart-wrenching stories of human struggle, like the story of Shirley, who dies after numerous hours of fighting a damaged aorta and brain. There is also a touching story of Andy, who happens to have "trisomy 21" (Down syndrome), and is also deaf, blind, mute, and has a brain hemorrhage.

The book is quite shocking in some parts, and educational too. Where you imagine a triumphant ending, the unexpected (and sad) happens. It's a book of triumphant stories, and disappointing ones. The stories all move at a decent, likable pace. The book leaves you with the feeling that physicians are in fact very human as Vertosick tells the story of Charles, who has an uneventful aneurismal tear while in his hands. Not all is victory as a neurosurgeon. A surgeon often has to deal with death and mistakes.

Some parts were fictionalized to enhance the story, but still a good book nonetheless. Enlightening.

The author has an edgy, sleep-deprived, wisecrack-a-minute style that makes me glad some states, at least, have reduced the number of hours per week a medical resident must work, from one hundred to eighty. Neurosurgery is a very unforgiving craft, and not all of the stories in this book have a happy ending. Neurosurgeons must tackle some pretty hopeless cases, and the human brain is a very unforgiving operating theatre.

Nevertheless, "When the Air Hits Your Brain" is an unputdownable read. I've been through it twice now---once during a night where I couldn't sleep anyway. If you do intend to sleep, don't read it right before going to bed.

Here are the author's five rules for neurosurgery interns:

1. "You ain't never the same when the air hits your brain."
2. "The only minor operation is one that someone else is doing."
3. "If the patient isn't dead, you can always make him worse if you try hard enough."
4. "One look at the patient is better than a thousand phone calls from the nurse."
5. "Operating on the wrong patient or doing the wrong side of the body makes for a very bad day--always ask the patient what side their pain is on, which leg hurts, which hand is numb."

Emotionally, Dr. Vertosick's worst rotation was to the local Children's Hospital. A child who was born with an inoperable brain tumor is the focus of the chapter entitled "Rebecca."

A baby's brain is very hard to operate on: "At six weeks of age, the unmyelinated brain is thick soup which can be inadvertently vacuumed away by operative suctions. Moreover, nerves the thickness of pencil lead in adults are little more than a spider's web in a baby."

Dr. Vertosick doesn't spend the whole book wisecracking. He ends the chapter on Rebecca: "I am not particularly religious. In fact, the birth of children bearing cancers I find difficult to reconcile with a merciful God. Nevertheless, there must be someplace where Rebecca now laughs in the bright sunshine, finally free of her ventilator and gastrostomy."

Read how the author strays into the 'inferno of overconfidence' as a chief resident, and comes "perilously close to emotional incineration." Follow him into the operating room as a patient's brain oozes through his fingers, where he is squirted in the eye by an AIDS patient's spinal fluid, and where he cures a woman who was misdiagnosed as an Alzheimer's patient when what she really had was a brain tumor.

I'm in the process of donating all of my books to the library that I know I won't read again. "When the Air Hits Your Brain" is not one of the donations.

Neurosurgeon Frank Vertsoick Jr.'s memoir opens with the five rules enumerated on his first day of a six year residency and never forgotten:
"Rule number one. You ain't never the same when the air hits your brain....It was built for performance, not for easy servicing.
"Rule number two: The only minor operation is one that someone else is doing.
"Rule number three. If the patient isn't dead, you can always make him worse if you try hard enough.
"Rule four: One look at the patient is better than a thousand phone calls from a nurse.
"Rule five: Operating on the wrong patient or doing the wrong side of the body makes for a very bad day."

These pretty much sum up the tone and gravity of Vertosick's rivetting, harrowing and touching book. The son of a steel worker, Vertosick came to neurosurgery almost by accident. His memoir focuses primarily on the years of training from medical student through chief resident.

Vertosick's first anecdote, from his first operating room observation, will have readers grabbing their throats - literally - in shock. His mentor, Gary (who becomes a familiar chain smoking, fast-talking irreverent character) picks up a drill. Vertosick asks how it knows when to stop before plunging through the skull into the brain and is told it has an automatic clutch mechanism. Only the mechanism fails. Those who continue reading once their heart rates return to normal will be hooked.

In an arrogant profession, Vertosick is an appealing narrator. He can also write. His descriptions of hospital routine and crisis, pecking orders and interdisciplinary rivalries are frenetic and often hilarious.

But his portraits of individual patients bring them to poignant life and often death. There are happy endings - the young, virile accident victim whose progressive paralysis indicated spinal damage, but who was saved by a risky diagnosis and fast surgery. But there are many others - the retarded man whose aneurysm became something worse through a slip of the knife,or the pregnant woman with a brain tumor who refused to abort her baby and therefore refused treatment in medicine's litigous atmosphere.

But Vertosick's memoir is not just a string of anecdotes. It's a portrait of his profession and its effect on a doctor's psyche. He first tasted "the intoxicant of power" after botching a routine procedure on a veteran and being thanked for it. "On the street, this would not be called a medical procedure but assault and battery - with witnesses, no less!"

There's the exhiliration of saving life. One of those was a man pronounced brain dead and delivered as an organ donor. Thanks to Vertosick and an observant junior, the man walked out of the hospital a week later and lived another two years.

While Vertosick's subject is inherently fascinating, it's the author's ability to convey his exuberance, fear, anguish and joy that leave the reader hoping he'll trade scalpel for word processor again.

This stands out in the field of medical literature. By definition, there are a very select number of people who could have written this book. Firstly, the number of brain surgeons is strictly limited (duh) for reasons that become apparent as the book progresses. Secondly, and most importantly, I think only a small minority of them can be as bloody good writers as Vertosick.

The book conveys pathos, humour and a dramatic shift in mindset experienced by our author as he is initiated into neurosurgery...from intern to surgical psychopath. This journey takes him several years and a number of lifetimes to complete. The lifetimes are those of the patients and their relatives that he (and we) are priviledged to be invited to share. Naturally, not all the stories have a happy ending and whilst it is clear that Vertosick cares, so, you will find, do you.

This book was so great! I cried, laughed, and was so deeply moved I was loathe to close the book. Great!

The book was in excellent shape and was received within 2 days! The book is wonderful by the way, a warm read.

This book is not just for parents of children with special needs. The lessons learned by the author and her family and the details of their struggle are beautifully written. Reading this book nudges the reader to think about the blessings of children and the trials of daily life in a new way. A wonderful, inspiring book!

Jeanne McDermott paints an inspiring portrait of her own family, forced to understand and live with the trials and hardships that accompany a child born with Apert Syndrome. She tells the story of Nathaniel with grace and candor informing the reader along the way with insights into the medical, genetic and developmental aspects of this condition. I cried with her pain and embraced her joys through the trials and triumphs of this journey. For anyone who has had a child born with a medical condition this is a must read.

I love this book. My 2 1/2 year old son went through four surgeries in his life time and I can so relate to the recall of ICU's and operating rooms. My son also has a form of dwarfism and will be different. I love her philosophy, so much peace and forgiveness to stranger's rudeness! She has so eloguently speak of the growth that any parent of child with differences have experienced. Babyface will be kept close to my heart forever and I recommend this book to all parents who are struggling with the challenge of bring up a child with a difference. In time, you too will gather the strength and peace demonstrated so well and articulated by Ms. McDermott.

Hi!
I just want to make you now that I'm satisfied because the service. I might buy more products later.

Your friend Marlene.

Simply put, I am still in awe over the amount of information in this book. This is a MUST have for any reptile Vet, and anyone who is serious about keeping or breeding reptiles. Do not let the cost put you off. The info inside is worth much, much, more than they ask.

Very comprehensive, much better than 1st edition. Recommend to anyone seeing reptiles in practice.

It is over a hundred dollars but put it off this is the book. You won't need any others.

This is the BEST reptile book i ever had the pleasure of owning! Brilliant pictures, easy to read text and very complete tables!
If you are a veterinary surgeon starting your experience on reptiles dont think twice... It was my case and i just loved it... this one lays next to Guilhermo Couto Small Animal Medicine and Theresa Fossum on my top 3 Veterinary Surgeons Bibles!

Striking It Rich is my bed-sided book. I used to live in Phnom Penh for a few years and understand the people as well as their culture. A society in which the power is Gun and Money. I really admire Doctor Sheftall because he dared to risk his life by playing golf with those military generals. The author is a super intelligent, talent and funny person. Through the very incredible, amazing golf stories and other ones in his life in Southeast Asia, Doctor Sheftall shared his life experiences in a very funny way but he really means it: My eyes darted between my beautiful angel, her husband, the AK-47, her nipple pressing against the front of her pajamas, the door, her husband, the AK-47, her nipples, the door... Then a strange calm came over me......

I couldn't help laughing with the way he wrote the stories. You will enjoy it. I would recommend to anyone to this book and of course to the golf players.

Rein Forest

Reid Sheftall, an American doctor who specializes in burn and reconstructive surgery lives and practices medicine in Cambodia, a country in which feuds are sometimes settled by splashing acid on one's enemy.

At 46, Dr. Sheftall wondered if he, a practicing surgeon, could return to the game of golf and play respectably on the professional tour, while keeping his day job. He had been a promising junior some 28 years ago when he quit playing golf to pursue other sports. It wouldn't be easy to qualify for the Malaysian Pro Golf Tour, but the temptation lingered. While running a medical center in Phnom Penh and treating children of unfortunate acid attacks, he practiced his swing by hitting balls at ships cruising by on the Mekong River.

How he became part of that pro tour is revealed in his recent memoir, Striking it Rich: Golf in the Kingdom with Generals, Patients and Pros. Sheftall utilizes his golfing adventure as the framework to chronicle his work as a surgeon, as well as the joys and pitfalls of being a 46-year-old bachelor living in Cambodia.

For instance, when he played in his second pro tournament, the Chevrolet Open, Dr. Sheftall was concerned about his travel expenses to and in Pattaya, Thailand, where the tournament was being played. An expensive hotel in a Thai beach resort could be a budget-buster for the third world surgeon. So, he found an inexpensive hotel - a real bargain at only $[...] per night - even if it was located down a dark alley. It did not occur to Sheftall that this was a house of ill repute until the all- female "bell-hop" staff appeared dressed in string bikinis. All night, he heard banging on doors and giggling girls running in the corridors. Due to the commotion and lack of sleep, he nearly missed his tee time the next day.

Striking it Rich includes numerous entertaining experiences and tips that are appropriate for golfers and non-golfers. What appears to be a story about a middle-aged fellow and his quest to become a professional golfer after years away from the game, morphs into a collection of stories of unexpected humor and heart-touching encounters. The reader is treated to a peek into the life of a struggling golfer on the pro circuit who is also a doctor that continues to treat patients. Dr. Sheftall must also learn dating etiquette in a foreign country. This is one of those rare books this reader hated to finish, knowing the story continues as the doctor continues to golf his way across Southeast Asia.

I recommend this inspirational book to anyone looking for more than mere entertainment in their leisure reading. Striking It Rich opened up new areas of interest for me, including a fascination for life in a part of the world I knew little about prior to reading this book. Dr. Sheftall's story inspired me to face new challenges in middle age and to provide assistance and awareness for the unfortunate victims of acid attacks in Cambodia.

Half the profits of the $19.95 book go to Operation Kids, a charity founded by Dr. Sheftall in 2001, to provide free surgery for burned and disfigured children of the developing world who otherwise can not afford treatment.



A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Reid Sheftall graduated with a physics degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When he was only 21, he became a member of the University of Southern California faculty. Later, after a brief stint as a card counter in Nevada, he went to medical school. He completed his surgery residency and a fellowship in pediatric burn reconstruction. Dr. Sheftall currently lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he serves Director of the American Medical Center, Phnom Penh.

Dr. Sheftall is also the author of The Tour Player's Handbook: Strategic Decisions Under Pressure in Tournament Golf. Readers may email him with questions or comments at [...].

This is a fantastic book which combines a unique golf odyssey with some fascinating cultural insights on southeast asian culture. For a full review, please see my article on thesandtrap.com, at [..]If you aren't intrigued enough by the story line to buy the book, remember that half of all proceeds from sales go to fund Dr. Sheftall's charitable efforts in Cambodia. Happy reading!

What an incredible book. While there are a lot of Golf stories in this book it really is about so much more and can be applied to any sport or business venture. I couldn't put it down.I learned a lot about the importance of the mental aspect of the game/sports and how you must play it one shot at a time and forget the bad ones as well as the good ( something I had never thought of). I laughed out loud and was amazed at the incredibly awkward situations the author was capable of getting himself into ( over and over and I laughed harder each time). He must be brilliant, scoring 800 on the SAT Math, Physics degree from MIT, Med School and Re-constructive Surgical training and then decides at age 46 that he wants to become a PGA
golfer ....all while doing recontructive surgery on children in Cambodia.
I am making my kids read this book ....there is so much to learn here.
You owe it to yourself to read this one...you won't regret it.

I first noticed this book while looking for something new to read about Cambodia which is the birthplace of my adopted daughter. Being the father of an avid junior golfer myself, I figured this book would be a great change of pace from the usual geopolitical issues which plague this poor nation. The fact that the photographer who took the cover photo was a college friend of my wife's and that Dr. Sheftall practices both golf and medicine at the hotel where my only Cambodian friend is employed as a bellman made the book irresistable. I was not dissappointed.

This book is about golf and much more. It is about a man who has made the most of his talents both on and off the course. It is about taking a healthy attitude toward golf and life, about being part of something bigger than yourself and recognizing both the obligation and reward of giving back to others. Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Sheftall shows that it is possible to have a heck of a good time along the way and this is how you'll feel as you read this book. Sure, both life and golf can be really bad at times, but if you, like this truly gifted man, really want to be a player in both, you can have a grand time.

So pick up this book and have a better time than you probably will out on the golf course. The author is one of the good guys in the world and I hope he takes the time to write a sequel. With or without golf, this is one fascinating life.