---
product_id: 48754986
title: "Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science"
price: "฿1768"
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reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.co.th/products/48754986-complications-a-surgeons-notes-on-an-imperfect-science
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region: Thailand
---

# Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science

**Price:** ฿1768
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## Description

Buy Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science 2 by Gawande, Atul (ISBN: 9781846681325) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

Review: Daily dilemmas of a junior surgeon - This volume was originally published in 2002, when the author was a junior doctor undergoing surgical training in an America hospital. It was the first of a subsequent series of books that, together with giving the 2014 BBC Reith Lectures, have established him as a household name. It consists of a series of essays based on cases he worked on. They vary very widely, but all are linked by highlighting important question about the role of the doctor in medical treatment and the doctor-patient relationship, particularly in a hospital setting where decisions often have to be taken quickly against a background of imprecise information or knowledge. A perfect example of this, although extreme, is the final case he discusses of an otherwise healthy young woman who presents with an inflamed red leg. Is this a severe case of cellulitis (probability approaching 100%) or is the leg infected with the bacteria necrotizing fasciitis (probability vanishingly small, but with potentially devastating consequences)? The author honestly admits that hunches, gut feelings and other unscientific considerations inevitably play a role in decisions about what actions to take, however much he wishes that they didn't. He is just as frank about other aspects of medical practice, such as the need for surgeons to hone their technique on real patients, with the inevitable consequences that the less advantaged in society become the `guinea pigs' and some operations will not be done well. But when his own child becomes dangerously ill he honestly confesses that he does not want an operation to be done by an inexperienced junior surgeon, as would any parent wanting the best for their child. How do we resolve this dilemma? There are many other dilemmas of medical practice discussed in the book, such as: how should poorly performing surgeons be disciplined in a way that does not make the profession in general too conservative and hence hinder surgical progress; to what extent is a surgeon entitled to `steer' a patient into a course of action that they, the doctor, thinks is the right choice, even though the risks may be high; and should a doctor attempt to prolong life, even when the treatment will not prevent the inevitable outcome and may even produce more suffering? This well-written book brings home to the reader not just the technical difficulties of being a surgeon, but also the ethical responsibilities it entails and the stark problems that surgeons have to face daily. It can usefully be read by both medical students and professionals, as well as by anyone who is liable to be a patient at some time, and that means all of us.
Review: First of Three - I think that I am looking at this book from a different perspective to most of its previous other reviewers. I am a lecturer in health in particular perioperative practice. I first came across Atul in a discovery channel programme called 'When Surgical Instruments go Missing' from this point Atul's name has cropped up a number of times mainly associated with the research that underpinned the development of the World Health Organisations' Surgical Safety Check List which evidence would suggest has contributed to a reduction in adverse surgical events such as leaving a swab in a patient. This is though his first book and it sits under popular science genre, it is though well written and there are sources identified for each of the chapters, I have accessed a number of these for further reading and resources for teaching. I think the book is insightful; it gives a brief look into the life of what was then a junior surgeon, albeit one who was destined for greater things! It covers a lot of topics, which given that the book was published in the UK in 2002 are still relevant today, these topics include, 'obesity and bariatric surgery,' the 'justification of research using humans' and 'blushing' to name but a few. I have used the following quote on a number of occasions 'Medicine in, I have found, a strange and in many ways disturbing business. The stakes are high, the liberties taken tremendous. We drug people, put needles and tubes into them, manipulate their chemistry, biology and physics, lay them unconscious and open their bodies to the world. We do in the abiding confidence in our know how as a profession.' Thought provoking or what? I am about to read his next book 'Better; A surgeon's notes on performance' and will report in due course! Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN  | 1846681324 |
| Best Sellers Rank | 27,170 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 8 in Surgery (Books) 17 in Family & Lifestyle Surgery 103 in Medical Biographies |
| Customer reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (5,685) |
| Dimensions  | 12.9 x 1.65 x 19.81 cm |
| Edition  | 2nd |
| ISBN-10  | 9781846681325 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1846681325 |
| Item weight  | 1.05 kg |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 286 pages |
| Publication date  | 17 Nov. 2007 |
| Publisher  | Profile Books Ltd |

## Images

![Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81eZCh1JzUL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Daily dilemmas of a junior surgeon
*by B***N on 18 December 2014*

This volume was originally published in 2002, when the author was a junior doctor undergoing surgical training in an America hospital. It was the first of a subsequent series of books that, together with giving the 2014 BBC Reith Lectures, have established him as a household name. It consists of a series of essays based on cases he worked on. They vary very widely, but all are linked by highlighting important question about the role of the doctor in medical treatment and the doctor-patient relationship, particularly in a hospital setting where decisions often have to be taken quickly against a background of imprecise information or knowledge. A perfect example of this, although extreme, is the final case he discusses of an otherwise healthy young woman who presents with an inflamed red leg. Is this a severe case of cellulitis (probability approaching 100%) or is the leg infected with the bacteria necrotizing fasciitis (probability vanishingly small, but with potentially devastating consequences)? The author honestly admits that hunches, gut feelings and other unscientific considerations inevitably play a role in decisions about what actions to take, however much he wishes that they didn't. He is just as frank about other aspects of medical practice, such as the need for surgeons to hone their technique on real patients, with the inevitable consequences that the less advantaged in society become the `guinea pigs' and some operations will not be done well. But when his own child becomes dangerously ill he honestly confesses that he does not want an operation to be done by an inexperienced junior surgeon, as would any parent wanting the best for their child. How do we resolve this dilemma? There are many other dilemmas of medical practice discussed in the book, such as: how should poorly performing surgeons be disciplined in a way that does not make the profession in general too conservative and hence hinder surgical progress; to what extent is a surgeon entitled to `steer' a patient into a course of action that they, the doctor, thinks is the right choice, even though the risks may be high; and should a doctor attempt to prolong life, even when the treatment will not prevent the inevitable outcome and may even produce more suffering? This well-written book brings home to the reader not just the technical difficulties of being a surgeon, but also the ethical responsibilities it entails and the stark problems that surgeons have to face daily. It can usefully be read by both medical students and professionals, as well as by anyone who is liable to be a patient at some time, and that means all of us.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ First of Three
*by S***N on 21 February 2013*

I think that I am looking at this book from a different perspective to most of its previous other reviewers. I am a lecturer in health in particular perioperative practice. I first came across Atul in a discovery channel programme called 'When Surgical Instruments go Missing' from this point Atul's name has cropped up a number of times mainly associated with the research that underpinned the development of the World Health Organisations' Surgical Safety Check List which evidence would suggest has contributed to a reduction in adverse surgical events such as leaving a swab in a patient. This is though his first book and it sits under popular science genre, it is though well written and there are sources identified for each of the chapters, I have accessed a number of these for further reading and resources for teaching. I think the book is insightful; it gives a brief look into the life of what was then a junior surgeon, albeit one who was destined for greater things! It covers a lot of topics, which given that the book was published in the UK in 2002 are still relevant today, these topics include, 'obesity and bariatric surgery,' the 'justification of research using humans' and 'blushing' to name but a few. I have used the following quote on a number of occasions 'Medicine in, I have found, a strange and in many ways disturbing business. The stakes are high, the liberties taken tremendous. We drug people, put needles and tubes into them, manipulate their chemistry, biology and physics, lay them unconscious and open their bodies to the world. We do in the abiding confidence in our know how as a profession.' Thought provoking or what? I am about to read his next book 'Better; A surgeon's notes on performance' and will report in due course! Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eye-opening, honest
*by W***O on 6 February 2025*

He is great. His dad was my doctor. This book is honest and scary at the same time. I grew up with doctors and hospitals and healthcare professional friends and family members.

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*Last updated: 2026-03-02*