Head and neck surgery

11^th edition (Published 2015)

Editors Yvonne Chan and John Goddard

ISBN 978-0-07-184992-0

Price £86.99

http://www.mheducation.co.uk/9780071849920-emea-kj-lees-essential-otolaryngology

Without doubt this is a detailed and most impressive textbook which is now in its 11^th edition. The first edition came out in 1973 and the original author’s imprint is still evident in this current version, as he has still contributed to it. As well as the editors, there is quite an array of contributors and all of them seem to come from North America. It is a big book spanning more than 1100 pages and to me, it seemed pretty comprehensive. However, in the preface K.J. Lee says that it is meant as a board preparation (this is an American textbook) and a reference text. I am not in a position to comment on the former but certainly on the latter, it is a superb reference text.

It is a more than ample as a one stop shop for primary care doctors (it may be too much), and would be most useful for GPs with a special interest and I would suspect this would be ideal for many specialists. Its layout is excellent and possibly is one of the reasons for its longevity, as the abundant information available, is easy to extract. The chapters are laid out in a logical fashion but the actual text is often laid out in bullet points, simple lists or just short paragraphs. This layout, in my opinion works well and it is easy for the reader to dip in and lock on to the information needed, relatively quickly. Equally it is relatively painless to read a chapter covering a specific topic and not taking that long to read it. There is also a reasonable number of images and tables but this is a primarily a well presented text driven reference resource which is well crafted and user friendly. Importantly, there is plenty of text available.

There are also some interesting chapters that may not always be found in other Ear Nose and Throat offerings. One particular chapter was chapter 48 on facial plastic surgery which offered some interesting insights. Without doubt, this book offers great detail and a fascinating insight into its subject area and at the same time offers the reader a huge selection of information presented in a very user-friendly format.

I enjoyed using the book and will continue to learn from it, as it is easy to simply look up a specific topic and quickly add to my knowledge or refresh my neurones. In terms of value for money considering the breadth and depth which is on offer, I think it represents excellent value for money. It may be too detailed for an average primary care practitioner but for those with a special interest or want to learn far more about the topic, then this book has much to commend it. Its pleasant style and layout enhance the user experience and makes the learning interesting and relevant. This is a top-class medical reference book and has a lot going for it.

Dr Harry Brown

January 2016