A new book in the Genetics Series – convenient reference guides designed to help clinicians apply the wealth of new genetic information to their clinical practice. The series is edited by medical geneticist Eli Hatchwell of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, and each book is authored by respected authorities in the field. Surgeons need to know about genetics and how it interacts with modern surgical practice because inherited diseases contribute to a substantial proportion of the surgical workload. Recognition of a positive history of disease in a family will allow genetic testing and precise diagnosis, leading to the ability to presymptomatically screen at-risk members of a family and allow screening and prevention strategies to be implemented. This book will provide surgeons with an introduction to the principles of genetics and information on common surgical conditions that have a hereditary tendency.