A fine team of state-of-the-art researcher/clinicians who know their
fields, have contributed to the advancement of knowledge, and are in a
position to judge what is truly important have here pooled their
thoughts in a series of chapters on the cutting edges of
gastroenterology. Four attributes render this volume superior to other
update-oriented publications. The first striking feature, which is
immediately evident upon scanning the table of contents, is the
imaginative choice of subjects, ranging from trav- eler's diarrhea and
sexually transmitted GI infections through TPN and interventional
endoscopy to geriatrics and iatrogenic disease. A second outstanding
feature of this volume is its success in balanc- ing basic
pathophysiology with practical considerations of clinical man- agement.
This is achieved in the discussions of such diverse topics as
acid-peptic diseases, infectious and other diarrheal syndromes, and hep-
atitis immunization. Throughout the book we are led smoothly from basic
science principles to specific recommendations for diagnosis and
therapy. This practical emphasis appears repeatedly and sometimes pro-
duces a delightful surprise, such as a chapter on radiology that is not
tech- nology-based but instead problem-oriented.