Review of Reality Surgery, Volume 1 in the Annals of Surgery

Reviewer: Nasim Hedayati, MD, Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH

Reality Surgery, Vol 1 Tom Walsh, Editor; 2004 (6 DVDs) ($390)

Reality Surgery, Volume 1 is a unique collection of 6 DVDs featuring general and thoracic surgery operations, such as video-assisted total thyroidectomy, total mesorectal excision for low rectal cancer, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and thoracoabdominal esophageal resection. Many cases are complex and represent the latest in treatment modalities such as intraoperative radiotherapy following breast quadrantectomy with sentinel node biopsy.

Each DVD, which may contain 1 to 3 procedures, begins with a description of the patient's clinical presentation and adjunctive preoperative studies by the operating surgeon. During the operation, the surgeon discusses reasons for choosing a certain technique based on his own experiences, the anatomic landmarks, and the postoperative care of the patient. Each DVD and the companion booklet review the key technical highlights of each operation, hints and recommended readings, and biographies of the featured surgeons. The quality of the DVDs for the majority of the operations is excellent, with clear visualization of landmarks and multiple viewing angles.

The surgeons featured in the DVDs represent various countries and training backgrounds, which emphasizes diversity in approaches and surgical management. The cost of the collection at $390 may be expensive for surgical residents, considering that most basic surgical textbooks are half the price of the DVDs. However, as an adjunct to residency programs advocating the need for more simulation and laboratory training, this DVD collection can be of great benefit if purchased by training programs for the use of the residents.

Ann Surg 2006 April; 234(4): 567

© 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Purchase the Volume 1 boxset