An accessible overview of 20 routine surgical procedures, from pre-operative tests to recovery period, with concise explanations of basic surgical terms, medical equipment, and technique   From preparation to recovery, this guide takes readers through the different stages of many common operations, with each stage concisely presented and abundantly illustrated. Step-by-step descriptions of each operation have been specifically written for non-specialists, and the view-at-a-glance information panels make this a must-have medical reference. This is the ideal guide for patients preparing for an operation, those getting ready to care for a relative or friend postoperation, or for anyone with an interest in medicine and surgery. U.S. national and regional estimates on hospital use for all patients from the Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2007) were used to determine which operations were most common.