Diseases of the Liver and Biliary System

Abstract

Medicine lives extensively on tradition and experience. There are very few indeed who have not used and enjoyed Sherlock's liver book since its debut in 1963. From the first it has provided all that the practicing physician in any field needs to know about liver disease. It could be counted upon to present the facts in a concise, well-illustrated way, to provide mature middle-ground guidance on controversial issues, and to offer a clear map to where the research observations would take clinicians in the future. After a four-year interval this ninth edition features a coauthor, a rewriting of about one third, 140 new illustrations—many in color—and a new format. Yet, by sticking to concise writing and avoiding redundancy, the authors have not increased the overall length. The organization is unchanged, but chapters have expanded, or, in a few instances, contracted with changing management. Anatomy, liver function, hematological changes, imaging, and