Practical Minor Surgery (CD-ROM)
CMAJ 1997;157:1437
© Canadian Medical Association
David Crawford and Chris Khoo. Overseas Publishers Association, Omni Media Associates, harwood academic publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 1996. US$117. ISBN 90-5702-006-8
| Overall rating: |
Good |
| Strengths: |
Attention to detail |
| Weaknesses: |
UK phraseology; video below average; complicated |
| Audience: |
Surgical interns and residents |
This CD was designed to assist family doctors and surgeons-in-training to grasp the essentials of minor surgical procedures. The context is surgery as practised in England, but the procedures would be equally common to North America.
The substance of the CD is good and very detailed. It is a multimedia presentation with graphics, animation, video and sound; this can be almost too much at times. The authors present rules and regulations applicable to surgeons and hospitals, facilities required, equipment, anesthesia and excision of common lesions. Suture materials are discussed in detail, and wound closure methods are shown. Reference is made to proper wound care, appropriate dressings, postoperative follow-up and evaluation of results. There is even a quiz to see if you absorbed the information en route!
For those in surgical training this CD would undoubtedly be most helpful, providing one made allowances for slight differences in nomenclature this side of the ocean. Some of the techniques shown on video unfortunately are often partially obscured and even out of focus, which is most frustrating. Nevertheless, following the advice and techniques, so colourfully demonstrated, would assist a young surgeon greatly in learning the essentials of minor surgery. For experienced surgeons however, there is little here that they wouldn't already know.
Sholto Cole, MD, FRCSC
General Surgery
Ottawa, Ont.
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