Local knowledge? | |
Hysterectomy and vaginal repair. 4th ed. Sally Haslett and Molly Jennings. Beaconsfield Publishers, UK: Beaconsfield Pubishers 1998 (iv + 36 pp., £3.95). ISBN: 0 906584 46 9. |
This 35-page British booklet provides information for women facing hysterectomy, vaginal repair and colposuspension procedures. Its authors, a midwife and a physiotherapist from the Gynaecology Department at St Thomas's Hospital in London, have based their information, not only on their professional experience, but also on their own personal surgical experiences as gynaecological patients. This and similar publications quite rightly encourage patients to take an intelligent interest in their operative procedure and make an active contribution to their convalescence. This booklet outlines some basic anatomy, explains some gynaecological terms, and provides brief descriptions of the operative procedures outlined. There are basic anatomical diagrams to supplement the text, and the physiotherapy section contains extensive and detailed descriptions of exercises recommended for both pre- and postoperative care. There are also sensible comments regarding normal postoperative recovery. Comments on the surgical procedures themselves reflect the surgical bias of St Thomas's Hospital. Some of these comments demonstrate variations from current Australian practice, although these differences are generally not major. I doubt whether this booklet will have a wide market in Australia, as I suspect that most consultants would prefer to use the locally produced and much briefer pamphlets which essentially cover the same ground - with the possible exception of the physiotherapy information. It may be of use in physiotherapy departments, but, again, I would suspect that local reference material may be preferred. Alan D Hewson
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