Dr. G. M. Woerlee is well known in my department both as a clinician and
teacher. Years ofexperience have taught him that the problems discussed
here have as yet not been treated in this way in any single work. In my
opinion there is a real need for such abook, not only for resident and
specialist anaesthetists, but also among surgeons and internists,
specialist and trainee. Management of a patient in the operating room is
a matter of teamwork, and knowledge of the problems encountered is the
basis of any mutual understanding! The information which has been
assembled and clearly presented in this book should prove to be of great
assistance in guiding our patients though an important phase of their
lives. Professor Dr. Joh. Spierdijk, Department of Anaesthesia,
University Hospital of Leyden, The Netherlands. vii PREFACE Much of the
literature being published in the field of anesthesiology today concerns
a narrow, in-depth scrutiny of a specific area or anesthetic technique
that does not provide the novice with an overview ofthe
perioperativeperiod and the commoneveryday problems faced by the
anesthetist. Dr G. M. Woerlee of the University of Leiden with his book,
"Com- mon Perioperative Problems and the Anaesthetist", has filled a
void in the current anes- thetic literature. Dr Woerlee reviews in a
straightforward, no-frills manner problems routinely encountered during
the perioperative period. Other anesthesia textbooks do not cover the
material in quite the same logical, step-by-step fashion.