Invasion of the Body

by Nicholas L. Tilney

In 1913, the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston admitted its first patient, Mary Agnes Turner, who suffered from varicose veins in her legs. The surgical treatment she received, under ether anesthesia, was the most advanced available at the time. At the same hospital fifty years later, Nicholas Tilney—then a second-year resident—assisted in the repair of a large aortic aneurysm. The cutting-edge diagnostic tools he used to evaluate the patient’s condition would soon be eclipsed by yet more sophisticated apparatus, including minimally invasive approaches and state-of-the-art imaging technology, which Tilney would draw on in pioneering organ transplant surgery and becoming one of its most distinguished practitioners.

In Invasion of the Body, Tilney tells the story of modern surgery and the revolutions that have transformed the field: anesthesia, prevention of infection, professional standards of competency, pharmaceutical advances, and the present turmoil in medical education and health care reform. Tilney uses as his stage the famous Boston teaching hospital where he completed his residency and went on to practice (now called Brigham and Women's). His cast of characters includes clinicians, support staff, trainees, patients, families, and various applied scientists who push the revolutions forward.

While lauding the innovations that have brought surgeons' capabilities to heights undreamed of even a few decades ago, Tilney also previews a challenging future, as new capacities to prolong life and restore health run headlong into unsustainable costs. The authoritative voice he brings to the ancient tradition of surgical invasion will be welcomed by patients, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Medical

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2011

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the best single-volume history of surgery that I'm aware of. There are other books that are more colorful (Moore's "A Miracle and a Privilege") or that cover a specific field or person better (Bliss's "Harvey Cushing: A Life in Surgery"), but this book has it all from ancient times to modern, from the introduction of anesthesia and aseptic surgical technique to minimally invasive and robotic surgery. The strongest sections are on cardiac surgery and transplant surgery, not too surprising since Tilney was a transplant surgeon himself, but almost every surgical subfield is covered at least briefly with the exception of urology and gynecology.

Tilney's books deserve to be read much more widely than Gawande's or any of the current crop of writer-physicians who write many for their own aggrandizement. Tilney is a fantastic writer (only Moore is superior to him in this area) and his love for his profession is evident throughout this book.

[Rix · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to articulate how much this book manages to do in such a short space. It's ability to communicate intricate medical procedures in a way that's understandable to people outside the profession is fantastic, its honest compassion for the patients it describes is comforting and it's level headed outrage with the current state of the American medical system is more than a little timely. A really fascinating exploration of one of the more challenging professions a person can choose to pursue

[劉 邦均 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Nicholas Pennza · Rating 4 out of 5]

When in doubt, cut it out

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting, but ultimately depressing end to an otherwise enthusiastic early experience. Of course he finishes with the current state of health care and it leaves me wondering how long we can go on like this in such a depressing, dismal climate. It had to be said,but it was a poor way to end. His salvage attempt did little to lift the spirits. It feels we have come so far in how we are treated and yet, if something is not soon done to reverse the current trend,I wonder how it will backtrack. Nicely presented in a very readable manner but more superficial than I expected and I was curious who his perceived audience was.
Nice cover and nice thick pages in this hard cover providing an enjoyable tactile experience.

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice history of surgery, but there is a thinly veiled vein of socialist medicine running through the book that bursts to the surface at the end with a very politicized chapter containing statements such as, "I am one of the many people who believe that health care is a right." and "Most accept that everyone in society needs an automobile or home insurance." Really? What's next? A federal program to give out cars for free? All in all, a worthwhile, readable history of surgery, with a very shallow analysis of the current healthcare system tacked on to appeal to a broader market.

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invasion of the Body is truly a fantastic piece of literature, flawlessly addressing the evolution of surgery throughout the ages.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty bland much of the time. Lots more focus on a surgeon's training and daily life than a history, which is what I sort of expected.