Advances in surgery have reached an exponential scale, and the changes of the last decade of the twentieth century have become common pr- tice. Imagination and foresight are the more visible standards for prof- sional appointments than ever before. The fiber optic cable, computer, and Internet are the workhorses of this sea-change, and surgeons must master all of them to remain intellectually and technically up-to-date. There can be no better explanation for the genuine need for this book. The transmission of knowledge and technical skills from one generation to another has been a common...