Dr Comus Whalan is Visiting Surgeon at Noarlunga Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia.

• Foreword Guy Maddern; Preface C. Whalan; Part I. An Introduction to the Operating Theatre: 1. General conduct in the operating theatre suite C. Whalan; 2. Universal precautions C. Whalan; 3. Clothing in the operating theatre C. Whalan; 4. Personnel: who's who in the operating theatre C. Whalan; Part II. The Operation Itself: 5. Preparing for the operation C. Whalan; 6. General intra-operative procedures C. Whalan; 7. General stages common to all operations C. Whalan; 8. Sterility and the 'sterile zone' C. Whalan; 9. Tissue planes, traction and counter-traction C. Whalan; 10. Surgical instruments: their names and how to use them C. Whalan; Part III. Assisting at Special Types of Surgery: 11. Cardiothoracic surgery C. Jurisevic; 12. Laparoscopic surgery C. Whalan; 13. Neurosurgery A. Abou-Hamden and S. Santoreneos; 14. Obstetric and gynaecological surgery A. Swart and E. Atkinson; 15. Ophthalmic surgery G. Fraenkel; 16. Orthopaedic surgery J. Van Essen; 17. Otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery R. Douglas and Peter-John Wormald; 18. Paediatric surgery C. Kirby; 19. Plastic surgery and microsurgery G. Offer; 20. Surgery in difficult circumstances: (1) Rural hospitals M. Bruening; 21. Surgery in difficult circumstances: (2) undeveloped countries P. Riddell; 22. Vascular surgery: (1) open surgery P. Puckridge; 23. Vascular surgery: (2) endovascular surgery K. Phillips and P. Puckridge; Part IV. Immediately after the Operation: 24. Immediately after the operation C. Whalan; Glossary; Suggested further reading; Reference; Index.

' … describes general operating theatre conduct with the overall aim of teaching you how to be a good surgical assistant … focuses on the immediate aftermath of the operation, advising on drugs to prescribe post-operatively and how to write a comprehensive but succinct operation note …This book is aimed at medical students and foundation year doctors. It is a valuable read for anyone at this level. A knowledgeable surgical assistant is a delight to a surgeon and will gain a lot of kudos. I would thoroughly recommend it to this group of students and doctors … a good easy read that sets out its information in a clear and logical way with good diagrams and photos.' British Medical Journal