Ronald C. Merrell – författare

This work is derived from the International Symposium on Advanced Laparo-Endoscopic Surgery, reknowned for being a comprehensive program that brings together international leaders in the field to discuss the current state of practice, the emerging possibilities and the future directions for research. The program focuses on the experiences in large series which have set the standard of practice and won acceptance for laparo-endoscopic surgery in recent years; the panelists and lecturers span the field from concept to realization. The program also addresses the evaluation process by which innovations should be judged in the interest of safety, clinical efficacy and cost effectiveness to improve the delivery of surgical care in the world. The symposium clebrates the firm establishment of laparo-endoscopic surgery and the promise of the future. Together, members of the panel outline future innovations that will change the practice of laparoscopic surgery, showcasing the future of robotics, virtual reality, telesurgery, needlescopic surgery, minimally-invasive breast surgery, cryotherapy and live donor nephrectomy.Highlights include contributions by John Hunter (Endo-Gastric Surgery), Dana Anderson (Repair Common Bile Duct Injury), Jack Jackimowicz (European Laparoscopic Hernia Multi-Institutional Study), Alfred Cuschieri and John Flowers (Role of Clinical Trial for New Procedures).

Much has been learned, great developments have occurred, and so much has been written about cancer and transplantation in the last 2-3 decades. Yet, to the author''s knowledge, no monograph or book has addressed nutrition support of cancer and transplant patients together. Experts from the around the world have addressed the nutrition support in cancer and transplant patients in this unique monograph. The book is divided in two parts: Part I deals with nutrition support in cancer patients, including the specific role of nutrition on immunity, cancer cachexia, and the role of different substrates. Part II addresses nutrition in transplant patients. The first two chapters deal with the immunologic role of nutrition and cancer cachexia. Chapter 3 elegantly and extensively reviews the nutritional implications; its biochemistry and the role of one of the most studied amino acids in clinical practiceNglutamine. This is followed by two chapters of nutrition support of patients with head and neck cancer and nutrition support of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Chapters 6 and 7 review the role of total parenteral nutrition on perioperative nutritional support and cell cycle kinetics. While the plasma amino acids profile in cancer patients and the role of L-methionine is addressed in great details in Chapters 8 and 9, the role of ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate administration on surgical, trauma and cancer-bearing patients is reviewed on Chapter 10. Part Two of this book starts with the review of nutritional support in small bowel transplantation. This Section elegantly describes the process of recovery of small bowel from the ischemia and preservation, weaning from parenteral nutrition support and establishment of normal diets. In addition monitoring techniques and the nutritional complications of surgical intervention is described. Chapter 12 on liver failure and liver transplant patients addresses hepatic encephalopathy and the role of certain amino acids, nutrition assessment techniques and metabolic changes following liver transplantation. Furthermore, it offers some practical advice on how to establish nutrition support routes in these very ill patients. Nutrition support in renal transplantation, including metabolic abnormalities in renal failure, are described on Chapter 13. This monograph ends with a Chapter on total parenteral nutrition in bone marrow transplant patients.

In May 1997 the Faculty of Surgery from the University of Athens and elsewhere gathered with colleagues in Athens for the third time in 6 years to continue our discussions on the progress, problems, realization, and future of laproscopic surgery. The topics were rather inclusive with regard to the issues that defined the field, and the assembled investigators, educa­ tors, and clinicians brought a rich experience and clear vision of the field in the coming years. The decision had been made months before to collect our thoughts and experience as a colloquium of the state of laproscopic surgery in the tenth year following the report of Mouret on laparoscopic cholecy­ stectomy, not as the proceedings of the specific meeting. At the end of a decade of mercurial advance, heated debate, professional turmoil, and very little science, it was clear that general surgery would never be the same. Laproscopic surgery is now fully established and requires accommodation in the curriculum, practice, and research of surgery for the foreseeable future. This book is called a colloquium on laparoscopy because it collects the thoughts of many workers in the form of consensus presentations. It is offered to any surgeon who is ready to survey this field with clear eyes, absent of emotion or hyperbole, in our evolution of a better standard of care for surgical patients.

In May 1997 the Faculty of Surgery from the University of Athens and elsewhere gathered with colleagues in Athens for the third time in 6 years to continue our discussions on the progress, problems, realization, and future of laproscopic surgery. The topics were rather inclusive with regard to the issues that defined the field, and the assembled investigators, educa­ tors, and clinicians brought a rich experience and clear vision of the field in the coming years. The decision had been made months before to collect our thoughts and experience as a colloquium of the state of laproscopic surgery in the tenth year following the report of Mouret on laparoscopic cholecy­ stectomy, not as the proceedings of the specific meeting. At the end of a decade of mercurial advance, heated debate, professional turmoil, and very little science, it was clear that general surgery would never be the same. Laproscopic surgery is now fully established and requires accommodation in the curriculum, practice, and research of surgery for the foreseeable future. This book is called a colloquium on laparoscopy because it collects the thoughts of many workers in the form of consensus presentations. It is offered to any surgeon who is ready to survey this field with clear eyes, absent of emotion or hyperbole, in our evolution of a better standard of care for surgical patients.

Much has been learned, great developments have occurred, and so much has been written about cancer and transplantation in the last 2-3 decades. Yet, to the author''s knowledge, no monograph or book has addressed nutrition support of cancer and transplant patients together. Experts from the around the world have addressed the nutrition support in cancer and transplant patients in this unique monograph. The book is divided in two parts: Part I deals with nutrition support in cancer patients, including the specific role of nutrition on immunity, cancer cachexia, and the role of different substrates. Part II addresses nutrition in transplant patients. The first two chapters deal with the immunologic role of nutrition and cancer cachexia. Chapter 3 elegantly and extensively reviews the nutritional implications; its biochemistry and the role of one of the most studied amino acids in clinical practiceNglutamine. This is followed by two chapters of nutrition support of patients with head and neck cancer and nutrition support of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Chapters 6 and 7 review the role of total parenteral nutrition on perioperative nutritional support and cell cycle kinetics. While the plasma amino acids profile in cancer patients and the role of L-methionine is addressed in great details in Chapters 8 and 9, the role of ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate administration on surgical, trauma and cancer-bearing patients is reviewed on Chapter 10. Part Two of this book starts with the review of nutritional support in small bowel transplantation. This Section elegantly describes the process of recovery of small bowel from the ischemia and preservation, weaning from parenteral nutrition support and establishment of normal diets. In addition monitoring techniques and the nutritional complications of surgical intervention is described. Chapter 12 on liver failure and liver transplant patients addresses hepatic encephalopathy and the role of certain amino acids, nutrition assessment techniques and metabolic changes following liver transplantation. Furthermore, it offers some practical advice on how to establish nutrition support routes in these very ill patients. Nutrition support in renal transplantation, including metabolic abnormalities in renal failure, are described on Chapter 13. This monograph ends with a Chapter on total parenteral nutrition in bone marrow transplant patients.

Telemedicine and telehealth have consistently been shown to be effective for remote areas or limited-resource locations, regular medical and surgical practice, primary care, second opinion, extreme conditions, major crises, and disaster management. The aim of this book is to bring all aspects of telemedicine and e-health to the reader, in a simple, make-sense approach, in one tome. The book is structured in four parts with 29 chapters written by the best experts in the field from around the world, including clinicians, scientists, and administrators of telemedicine programs. Part I deals with basic principles of telemedicine and telepresence. Historical journeys of telemedicine and strategies, building sustainable telemedicine and telehealth programs in the United States and in the Balkans, as well as incorporation of telemedicine in the current ongoing pandemic COVID-19 are well described and are must read. Current technological developments, rules and regulations, legal and business aspects and consent are also addressed. Part II describes strategies for building sustainable telemedicine and telehealth programs. Telehealth patient portals and public-private partnership modes of technology, as well the role of international telemedicine and how to make it work, are valuable chapters of great significance. Part III describes outcomes-based evidence clinical applications of telemedicine in trauma, burns, intensive care, pediatric care, psychiatry, and stroke. Finally, one important chapter for the readers is the telemedicine for prison and jail population. The final part, Part IV depicts surgical telementoring and teleproctoring, a chapter written by 18 various surgical experts, a true gem for the readers. The book ends with promises and hurdles of telemedicine in austere conditions. Telemedicine, Telehealth and Telepresence serves as a valuable resource that focuses on providing patients care from a distance using store and forward technology to live actual performance of operations at a distance.Chapters 1, 6, 12 and 17 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.