The genesis of this project is a direct result of the fact that there is no substantive textbook that addresses the full-spectrum of surgical emergencies. Even in a ?eld in which there is a plethora of excellent textbooks on a variety of surgical topics (including trauma), there is no one reference book with a dedicated emphasis on both traumatic and nontraumatic conditions potentially necessitating surgical int- vention in the acute setting.This project became even more unique when its st- wise development paralleled the evolution of a new specialty acute care surgery. This was far from a...