The principal purpose of this brief monograph is to describe methods of surgical therapy of the chronically swollen extremity. The discussion is limited to consideration of swelling secondary to lymphatic derangement and does not deal with edema secondary to venous obstruction. However, the author does not clearly define the means by which the etiology of swelling can be determined. Perhaps in a volume of this type a discussion of differential diagnosis is not germane. Yet the author makes a strong plea that therapy should be based upon the determination of etiology.
The chapters dealing with the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system, while brief, are adequate and up-to-date. The complications of chronic lymphedema, eg, lymphangiosarcoma, Kaposi's disease, are well described. Any one wishing to study the lymphatic system will find the section on lymphographic techniques useful. Yet, on the whole, the book contributes relatively little to the vexing problems