Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen

by William Silen (Primary Contributor)

This classic text is much beloved by medical students and physicians-in-training throughout the English-speaking world, as its many editions indicate. It is chock full of the pearls of clinical wisdom that students and practitioners treasure, and many of these lessons apply to medicine in general. The book was well characterized by a reviewer of an earlier edition for The New England Journal of 'If only one book about surgery could be made available to physicians from all specialties, it should probably be Silen's recent revision of Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen. Since the book first appeared, it has remained the classic treatise on the initial approach to abdominal pain.' Because acute, severe abdominal pain is still a common problem whose misdiagnosis can result in quick death, each generation of beginning physicians is faced with the urgency of learning to make a diagnosis in this high-anxiety situation, and they appreciate the wise, humane, precisely
detailed guidance offered by Cope and Silen. For the 22nd Edition, Dr. Silen has again updated the text in a respectful but significant way. He has added a chapter on the increasing disorder of diverticulitis, reexamines the use of analgesics, emphasizes the costs of over-testing, and updates all recommendations regarding trauma, radiologic studies, and therapeutic recommendations.

Genres: Medicine, Medical, Science, Textbooks

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

best abdominal exam book ever written. for those non-medical people, this is an ENTIRE book on how to "read" someone's belly by looking at it, listening to it, and feeling it.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those lovely volumes wherein someone tries to distil their experience into a digestible format. Well written, interesting, and practical. Well worth reading, especially for Acute and Emergency Medics as well as surgeons. A classic for a reason.

[Erika Schmitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the common diagnosis in General Surgery. Great for the medical student before starting residency!

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no silver bullet to "getting" the very complicated abdomen, but this is a good book. Cope/Silen focus on clinical presentation and physical diagnosis almost exclusively, giving the book a helpfully delimited scope. Plus, just watching Cope's thought processes was instructive in of itself. The first third on general presentation of abdominal diseases was very good. The latter two thirds was a "parade of diseases" which was fine.

[TheAmusingAce · Rating 4 out of 5]

(For context, I'm a 3rd year medical student at a Canadian University)

I hated the abdominal exam in first and second year medical school. It felt so imprecise and useless now most centres have access to CT scans.

This book instilled in me a great love for this exam now, and an appreciation for this unique part of the art of medicine. I read it after several months of an integrated clerkship, and dozens of half-assed abdo exams. Now I jump at the chance to do the exam, because I get to practice what this book taught me. This appreciation for the art of medicine also extends beyond what this book actually covers.

Will it adequately prepare you for surgery exams by itself? Not at all. Will it be very practically useful in clerkship and beyond -> definitely. It's a relatively quick read, and a text I will probably re-read before I start my residency in 18 months or so.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The passage of stool and gas is not a guarantee that all is well within the peritoneal cavity!"

[Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

a timeless classic in physical diagnosis

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A medical classic.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, I've read it twice now, and may go back and read it again every few years.

[James Herrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading in medical school and residency.

[J]

First two chapters on clinical Dx recommended by http://www.medrants.com/archives/6642.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=etcqH...

[Julian T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic! The compassionate and competent surgeons guide to the acute abdomen. History is key to guide you through the long differential diagnoses

[Auriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

#surgery

[Fariborz · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book for any surgeon