EDITED BY CHARLOTTE M. ANDERSON, VALERIE BURKE AND MICHAEL GRACEY - Paediatric Gastroenterology

Saint Louis, MO, U.S.A., Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1987. Second Edition, Binding: Decorative Cloth, Near Fine. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall 0867931760 Hardback More than a decade has passed since the first edition of this book was published and, not unnaturally, it now needs revision and expanison. Knowledge of normal and distrubed function of the gastrointestinal tract of the child has widened considerbly during this interval but even more important has been the increase in the number of paediatricians who have chosen to make paediatric gastroenterology their field of special expertise. During the past decade a number of smaller, handbook style volumes have been published about paediatric gastroenterology. We have maintained the original aim of our First Edition to provide a comprehensive reference text dealing with normal and abnormal function of the child's gastrointestinal tract. To achieve this aim and to incorporate recent advances in the Second Edition, the authorship of the chapters has been widened and now includes international authorities on several topics. Some subjects not covered in the First Edition are now included and some which were discussed only briefly in the First Edition have now been dealt with in more detail. New subjects include developmental aspects of structure and function of the infant gut, gastrointestinal hormones, endoscopy and organ imaging techniques. A completely new and comprehensive chapter on liver disease has been included in this edition and this has added to the comprehensiveness of the book. Although there are now several textbooks on liver disease in childhood, it was agreed with our publishers that this book would be incomplete without inclusion of a section on liver diseases. A comprehensive section on acute diarrhoeal disease, edited by Michael Gracey, has been included because significant areas of new knowledge have accumulated over the past decade about this important subject of worldwide interest. Discussion on cystic fibrosis is now mostly confined to gastrointestinal and nutritional aspects because several general texts on this disorder have been published over recent years. The basic defects of coeliac disease, cystic fribrosis and chronic inflammatory bowel disorders remain enigmatic despite considerble research over the past decade. Managements of inflammatory bowel disease has become an important part of the work of practising paediatric gastroenterologists, surpassing that of some of the other disorders, particularly coeliac disease which some consider has become less common over recent years. These subjects are extensively discussed in this new edition. Surgical problems are now dealt with by a paediatric surgeon in much more detail than was possible in the First Edition. Investigations of gastrointestinal function which are discussed in the last chapter are, to some extent, selective, as many workers have their own modifications or favour different methods. Those investigative procedures related to the liver are to be found in the edition on liver disease.