Colorectal Surgery: Living Pathology in the Operating Room

Colorectal Surgery: Living Pathology in the Operating Room is two books in one. First, it is an atlas in the classic definition: each chapter is a two-page spread discussing one case. Functionally, each chapter is a case study with both the surgical and pathological perspectives beautifully rendered and fully explained.

Visually, every chapter presents the reader with operative and/or diagnostic photos, and anatomic line drawings by the author. The text, more extensive than in many atlases, provides a concise yet complete operative record: patient history/work up, anatomic anomalies, the procedure itself, pathologic findings, and follow up.

Key teaching points emphasize the most important and unique aspects of every case. Residents, fellows, and even seasoned practitioners will gain valuable diagnostic and therapeutic insights from this material. The case study presentation provides an excellent review tool for the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery exam.

From the Foreword

"The experienced surgeon will appreciate this book by recognizing the details and exquisitely rendered images that call to mind similar cases encountered. For the surgeon or trainee relatively new to the practice of colorectal surgery, the graphic presentation of the surgical pathology, with the accompanying succinct and informative text, will make the acquisition of this book a worthwhile one."

Victor Fazio, M.D. and Stanley Goldberg, M.D.

As Lord Moynihan frequently mentioned in his legendary lectures, surgeons have the unique opportunity to study pathology in vivo, or in a living state. The pathology is seen in relation to normal anatomy, leading to important surgical judgments that ensure only diseased tissue will be removed, and with minimal damage or sacrifice to normal structures. In addition to influencing surgical design making, observation of living pathology offers a glimpse into the disease process and provides a valuable assessment of the morphological features of the specimen before it is preserved with formalin.

Colorectal Surgery: Living Pathology in the Operating Room is a unique collection of beautifully illustrated cases focusing on the pathology as much as the operative technique used to remove the diseased tissue. One hundred case reports describe unusual findings, or unusual manifestations of more common conditions, encountered by the author during his 40-plus years in practice as a colorectal surgeon. All of the drawings in the book were sketched immediately after the procedures in order to capture the details and significance of the specimen. As finished drawings, Dr. Killingback’s beautiful images increase the reader’s conceptual knowledge of surgical pathology and how it presents. Accompanying text, photos, and diagnostic studies provide the details of patient management and shed further light on the intrinsic art and science of interpreting living pathology, making this a must-have resource for colorectal surgeons and residents as well as general surgeons and surgical pathologists.