Contemporary Transoral Surgery for Primary Head and Neck Cancer

Review by P Asimakopoulos, K Ah-See
Aberdeen, UK

This is a useful book on the increasingly important transoral approach to tumours of the head and neck. The authors, who are well known US experts in the field, have produced a colourful textbook with current, well-illustrated, information on all aspects of transoral surgery. The book starts with a historical perspective, followed by a detailed review of relevant anatomy. Excellent artistic illustrations and intraoperative pictures provide a great perspective and appreciation of the inside-out anatomical concept. The importance of instrumentation, including laser microsurgery and robotic surgery, is heavily emphasised throughout. The authors dedicate a separate chapter to margin analysis and mapping techniques, along with pathological considerations in transoral surgery.

The applications of transoral surgery to all sites of the upper aerodigestive tract are presented in an evidence-based manner with an adequate number of references for further reading. Tips and pearls of surgical techniques and both functional and oncologic results are equally emphasised by the authors. Complications of transoral surgery and the role of the multidisciplinary setting are discussed in detail. The final chapters of the book focus on functional outcomes of transoral surgery and its oncologic outcomes, compared to open surgery and chemoradiotherapy.

The front page is well designed, displaying an illustration of the lateral pharyngeal wall vasculature.  The print quality is good as as the exterior is a solid hardback cover and the interior is boasts fine glossy paper, with high resolution pictures throughout. Some of the intraoperative pictures could be improved, as they are slightly blurred. Readers can access a companion website, with video footage of transoral surgery techniques for various head and neck primary cancer sites.

Overall, this is a good textbook on the technical aspects of transoral surgery. It is easy to read with a good explanation of the anatomical and functional aspects of this increasingly popular approach.

Amazon Link: Contemporary Transoral Surgery for Primary Head and Neck Cancer
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