A detailed description of all aspects of head and neck surgery is a considerable challenge for any single volume but the fourth volume of this series is nonetheless fairly comprehensive and attempts to cover the anatomy, craniofacial trauma and head and neck reconstruction as well as the management of facial paralysis. On the whole, each region of the head and neck is considered independently, simplifying this complex topic.
As with most expansive textbooks, subspecialty experts may find some chapters overly simplified. Additional chapters cover the emerging interests of facial transplantation and the surgical management of migraine headaches.
Part 2 of Section 1 covers all aspects of cleft lip and palate surgery. Some significant differences exist between the management of these patients in the UK and USA and this is not always apparent in the text.
Section 2 concentrates on craniofacial surgery and the principle craniofacial syndromes. These chapters are typically well written and illustrated, and provide ample insight for the average plastic surgical trainee but perhaps insufficiently so for subspecialty craniofacial surgeons.
All aspects of paediatric plastic surgery not otherwise covered in the other volumes are included in Section 3 with special attention given to paediatric tumours and the assessment and management of congenital urogenital defects such as hypospadias. Again, there are some differences of practice in different parts of the world.
