Operative Dictations in General and Vascular Surgery

Operative Dictations in General and Vascular Surgery, Second Edition  is intended to teach residents the principles of succinct and precise operative dictations for a wide spectrum of surgical procedures. Designed as a portable resource, the book provides typical dictations to guide the resident. Comprised of 226 procedures, this new edition comprises the majority of procedures commonly performed by general and vascular surgeons. For each procedure, a list of common indications is given. This list covers 95% of the situations in which a particular procedure will be used.  A list of essential steps follows. These can be used to mentally rehearse the procedure before it is performed. The next heading, Note these technical variations, introduces a list that is intended to prompt the surgeon for particular things to note and dictate within the template. A list of possible complications that are typically associated with that particular surgical procedure follows. Finally, a template operative dictation is provided. Common opening and terminating sequences (for example, how to enter and close the abdomen) in all laparotomy dictations are included.

The volume has two primary objectives. First, it is designed to serve as a source of model operative dictations that may be individualized and used as templates. Second, it is intended as an aide-memoir, giving the surgeon a short list of pertinent information about each procedure. Ample space is provided to allow each surgeon to add notes. By reviewing this introductory material before scrubbing on a procedure, the trainee surgeon will enter the operating room better prepared to participate actively and to learn as much as possible. At the end of training, this book, with the notes accumulated by the resident, will serve as an invaluable review resource analogous to the individualized notebooks many surgeons keep.  Operative Dictations in General and Vascular Surgery, Second Edition  is intended for practicing surgeons, who may modify each template to reflect their own individual practice. It also serves as a concise reminder of essential steps in those operations that may be only rarely performed.

Jamal J. Hoballah, MD, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon

Carol E.H. Scott-Conner, MD, Department of Surgery, The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA