This book covers the topics: laparoscopic treatment of Barrett's esophagus; treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas; laparoscopic ventral hernia repair; maintenance of surgical competence; surgery in the elderly; minimally invasive esophagectomy; surgical management of cutaneous melanoma; current role of sentinel node biopsy in the treatment of breast cancer; symptomatic hemorrhoids; role of endoluminal stents in gastrointestinal diseases; current status of thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair; treatment of asymptomatic carotid stenosis with contralateral carotid occlusion; ten years' experience treating abdominal aortic aneurysms with stent-grafts; treatment of acute embolic lower limb ischemia; duodenal switch opertion for morbid obesity; ileal-pouch anal restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis; minimal access surgical approaches in infants and children; surgical therapy for hepatocellular carcinomas; and radioguided parathyroid surgery.