This is a most welcome and valuable book. The past two decades have seen significant advances in many aspects of paediatric liver surgery including an understanding of the segmental anatomy of the liver, the development of portoenterostomy for biliary atresia, the use of sclerotherapy to control variceal bleeding, and the role of liver transplantation. Whereas there have been numerous texts dealing with progress in adult surgical conditions, these have paid limited attention to paediatric aspects. This book redresses the balance by providing a comprehensive review of current management on the whole range of childhood surgical liver disorders.
As well as anticipated chapters on biliary atresia, portal hypertension, surgery for hepatic tumours and liver replacement, other useful contributions include physiology and anaesthesia, liver trauma, and chemotherapy for tumours. The editor should take credit not only for writing the majority of the chapters himself but for producing a free-flowing text that includes contributions from France and Japan. The book is well illustrated with high quality black-and-white photographs, although there is no uniformity of style in the line diagrams; these would benefit from revision when the next edition is produoed. This baak will be bought and treasured by surgeons who treat children with liver disease.