Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen [Hardcover]

William Silen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0195136780 | ISBN-13: 978-0195136784 | Edition: 20

For the 20th edition of this classic text, Silen has expanded his discussion of the role of CT scans in diagnosing abdominal pain and cut the material on such obsolete procedures or nosologic entities as abdominal paracentesis, pyplyositis and Bornholm's disease. This edition aims to reaffirm the text's reputation as an outstanding guide to the difficult task of diagnosing and deciding how to manage acute abdominal pain, where decisions must be made quickly and mistakes can kill patients. More generally, it aims to provide a venerable text on the art and science of bedside diagnosis. This book is intended for medical students and residents.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From reviews of the 18th Edition:

"If only one book about surgery could be made available to physicians from all specialties, it should probably be Silen's recent revision of Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen....It has remained the classic treatise on the initial approach to abdominal pain....The single best short treatise on acute abdominal pain in print." --The New England Journal of Medicine

"Anyone concerned with the early diagnosis of the acute abdomen, will find this text to be of most interest." --BIOSIS

"There is a lot of very usable information stuffed into these 290 pages, and very little has been left out. it succeeds because of its directness and practicality....The book is thorough, clear, concise, and has a definite point of view. It is a wonderful text for medical students and interns, especially primary care interns and residents who want a straightforward, clinically relevant resource....It would also make a useful review for practitioners who want to refresh their knowledge. This text should also be a must for emergency department physicians, and all family practice faculty who are confronted with ubiquitous questions from students and residents about patients with abdominal pain." --The Journal of Family Practice

"This latest revision of the Cope-Silen text on the acute abdomen nicely closes out the 20th-century information base on this subject....The healthcare providers of the 21st century will continue to profit from the important updating of this classic monograph"--Journal of the American Medical Association

"A classic treatise on the means by which clinical skills (history taking, physical examination, and interpretation of laboratory studies) can allow early diagnosis of acute abdominal pathology....Splendid book."Gastroenterology

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

William Silen, M.D., Johnson & Johnson Distinguished Professor of Surgery, and Dean, Faculty Development and Diversity, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 20 edition (March 23, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195136780
• ISBN-13: 978-0195136784
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,262,100 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic medical book, required reading for all doctors., July 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen (Paperback)

This book is an enduring classic on the diagnosis of abdominal conditions. It is a masterful exposition of differential diagnosis and physical examination. As the director of a residency program in obstetrics and gynecology, I have made it required reading for all of our residents. It is well-written, clear, concise, and full of practical wisdom. Anybody who sees patients should be familiar with this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every aspiring surgeon should master this book, December 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen (Hardcover)

An excellent and suprisingly readable book on surgery. Although it only discusses the abdomen, it serves as an excellent foundation for later reading in surgery. I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Very well written

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the first book to read on abdominal problems, July 3, 2003

By 

james f watkins (Sayre, PA, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen (Paperback)

One of the most influential medical texts ever. Cope's work gets only more relevant with increasing fragmentation of care. I would argue the book is especially useful for those NOT planning a career in surgery. The work is concise, accurate, and filled with memorable language. If you spend half an hour on the appendicitis section you should be equipped to make the diagnosis correctly. Other sections are equally good, as Dr. Silen has the sense not to fix what is not broken.