Dr Ramesh and Dr Pooja go a long way in addressing this important issue with the timely publication of the comprehensive book, Textbook and Atlas of Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.

High-volume surgeons are expert surgeons, and in this volume, readers have access to the expertise of Dr Ramesh who has personally performed hundreds of laparoscopic hysterectomies. He has also mentored a large number of surgeons in the procedure and many of these trainees have gone on to become great teachers themselves, and some are contributors to this extraordinary textbook. In addition to Dr B Ramesh, the authorship of this book reads like a hall of fame in laparoscopic surgery, and I, therefore, have no doubt that the readers of the book will be sitting at the feet of a number of master surgeons.

While the focus of the book is the performance of laparoscopic hysterectomy, there are also excellent chapters on anatomy, instrumentation and electrosurgery, and these will themselves benefit the trainees greatly. There are also comprehensive descriptions of both the vaginal and the open techniques. Hysterectomy is one of the oldest surgical procedures, but the book breathes new life into this operation. The benefits of a laparoscopic hysterectomy compared to abdominal hysterectomy are immense, and in this text, it is appropriately described as a game changer. Its publication is timely, and I am sure it will inspire a generation of gynecologists to embrace this wonderful technique.

The beauty of the laparoscopic hysterectomy is that it can be broken down into a number of basic steps, and in the book, each surgical step is described in detail and beautifully illustrated with surgical photographs. There are detailed chapters on difficult cases, including endometriosis, cancer and fibroids. Dr Ramesh, Dr Pooja and their co-authors also engage the reader very ably on the different controversies, including oophorectomy, salpingectomy and the most important issue of choosing the best surgical route of hysterectomy. These are explained in a balanced and evidence-based manner.

This text should be an essential reading not only for the novice surgeon but also for those wanting to improve their knowledge and reduce the risk of complications. I believe that the book will go a long way in improving access to minimally invasive hysterectomy. Most importantly, I believe it will ultimately benefit the women seeking our help and expertise. There is no doubt that this is a state-of-the-art textbook that will become a standard feature on the bookshelves of many discerning gynecological surgeons.

The book is a very descriptive text supplemented by a plethora of illustrations and operative pictures. The book is divided into seven sections and 36 chapters. The various chapters have been contributed by prominent endoscopic surgeons from the country. Not only gynecologists but laparoscopic surgeons, anesthetist and urologists have shared their experience. The order of text is streamlined so that the reader goes from the basics to the complicated. The chapters are designed parallel to the expected learning curve.

The book starts with basics of laparoscopy. After a touch of history, chapter on pelvic anatomy describes the relevant anatomical landmarks, relations between structures and course of arteries, veins and nerves which is very useful information for the surgeon. The later chapters describe equipment, instrumentation and energy sources used in TLH. There is also an important chapter on anesthesia in laparoscopic gynecology.

The second section of the book is an overview of different routes of hysterectomy including vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy. The last chapter of this section ponders on the choice of route of hysterectomy based on an individualized approach. The third section is an exhaustive line up of different steps of TLH procedure. Each step is described in a different chapter with all variations and modifications.

As the surgeon moves ahead from simple to complex cases, the book deals with difficult and complex cases of hysterectomy in cases of large fibroids, previous surgeries, endometriosis and with concomitant incontinence. This section also gives an overview of robotic hysterectomy, LESS hysterectomy and daycare hysterectomy.

The description of a procedure is not complete without describing its complications. The fear of complications usually discourages the surgeons from full-fledged laparoscopy. This section deals with complications of total laparoscopic hysterectomy, including bladder, ureter and bowel injuries and vault complications.

This is followed by chapter on the role and place of vaginal hysterectomy and alternatives to hysterectomy. Last but not least, we share our experience of TLH with the last chapter on tips and tricks for beginners.

The text in the book is supplemented by illustrations in the form of line diagrams, outside view of the surgery with port placement and laparoscopic operative pictures.

The text is accompanied by tables, boxes and key points which make the content more interesting for the reader and easy to understand.

Laparoscopy like any scientific method requires constant evolution and innovation in instrumentation, skill and technique and follows a learning curve. The aim of the book is to contribute to skill and technique development using scientific evidence and experience of experts in the field of gynecologic endoscopy. We believe the book will be useful to postgraduates as well as those gynecologists who want to train and specialize in gynecologic endoscopy. It will also serve as a reference text to those who are already practicing gynecologic endoscopy. Hopefully, it will be a tool in the knowledge armamentarium of a gynecologic laparoscopic surgeon.

First we want to thank all the gynecologist endoscopic surgeons around the world who have been responsible for the development of this technique; the people who constantly innovate and contribute to the development of skill and impart this knowledge to other surgeons.

First and foremost, we want to express our gratitude to all the contributing authors of the book who have shared their experience of gynecologic endoscopy over the years with the readers. We cannot thank you enough. We are grateful to all our colleagues and fellow gynecologists who have shared clinical material and their knowledge with us. We also thank all the fellowship students of Altius Hospitals who have immensely contributed to the book with their ideas, recording and editing of pictures. We want to especially mention Dr Chandana A, Dr Dipti Gunge and Dr Cyriac Pappachan who worked tirelessly for this. No words can express our sincere thanks to the entire operation theater team of Altius Hospital, especially Mr Shiju who is an invaluable asset. Special thanks to Dr Punitha Rangaraj and Dr Rangaraj of Cambridge Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India for their unwavering support.

We also want to thank Karl Storz, Covedien and Olympus for timely providing equipment and instruments.

We also want to thank our respective family members Shobha, Shreyas, Shrusti (B Ramesh) and Vishesh and Vihaan (Pooja Sharma Dimri) for constant support and encouragement in achieving new milestones.

Lastly, our sincere appreciation goes to Shri Jitendar P Vij (Group Chairman), Mr Ankit Vij (Group President) and Mr Tarun Duneja (Director–Publishing) of M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India, who have supported us wholeheartedly in bringing out this unique book on total laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Above all, the book is dedicated to all the patients who place trust and faith in our ability and are the driving force behind this endeavor.