[Anatomy and evolutionary morphology as basic principles in surgery].

In the monograph Surgery of visceral sphincter systems-topographical comparative anatomy and clinical studies of barriers and sphincters," it is shown how this methodology leads to conclusions about the relationships between structure and function that are quite different from those derived from classic anatomical dissection. X-ray, PET, CT, and MR examinations confirm the results from the novel morphological studies described. The book features 548 black-and-white and color illustrations and has 395 pages. The author illustrates how comparative anatomy can improve surgical decision making and treatment. He starts the book on the premise that all complex organ systems are present in various vertebrates but that certain morphological features develop more prominently in some species than in others. Examination of such strongly developed structures often yields new clues about organ functions hitherto not understood in humans.