This book covers topics such as: The Current Treatment of Achalasia; The Current Surgical Management of Portal Hypertension; The Effective of Bariatric Surgery on Long Term Mortality; Volume and Outcome Results for Bariatric Surgery; The Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules; VATS Resection of Peripheral Lung Nodules; Comparison of Whole Organ Pancreas and Isolated Islet Transplantation for Type I Diabetes; The Role of Palliative Surgery in Advanced Cancer; The Treatment of Lower Extremity in the Endovascular Era; Carotid Artery Disease: Angioplasty and Stenting Versus Carotid Endarterectomy; and Resection of Unresectable Liver Tumors Following Chemotherapy. It also covers: The Role of Reduced Heart Rate Volatility in Predicting Death in Trauma Patients; What We have Learned and What We Need to Know About SARS; 'How Should Surgeons Use Outcome Studies to Improve Patient Care?'; The Role of the Radiology Interventionist in the Treatment of Abdominal Abscesses; 'Does Volume Help Predict Outcome in Surgical Diseases?'; The Current Management of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors; The Current Management of Chronic Pancreatitis; The Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pancreatic Pathology; The Role of Adjuvant Therapy in the Management of Pancreatic Cancer; Laparoscopic Liver Resections; The Pharmacologic Modulation of the Hypermetabolic Response; Workup of the Incidental Liver Lesion; Breast Reconstruction: and Trans Flap Versus Implant.