Although written nearly 100 years ago, Halsted's words hold true even for surgeons of this century. To achieve competence, physicians must not only evaluate patients and determine if and when surgery is required but also must practice their skills, either through simulation or in the operating room. In addition, surgeons-in-training must absorb critical information that will assist their learning process as well as help them avoid complications (and retaliations).
Nezhat's Operative Gynecologic Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy is a glossy 630 pages that surveys the expanding world of endoscopy and the developments achieved over the last 4 decades—developments that accelerated rapidly after the addition of the video monitor to the rigid laparoscope. Other equipment innovations of the last decade are nothing short of remarkable and make almost any procedure previously performed through a large abdominal incision now possible endoscopically, with a high level of safety, rapid recovery, and often superior results. The third edition of this text, which has been expanded to include hysteroscopy and infertility, attempts to educate gynecologic surgeons, both novice and expert, on the techniques and instrumentation to make such procedures possible. However, the often extensive practice required for mastery is not included in the purchase price.