Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science
Jul 2010 · Profile Books
4.8star
17 reviewsreport
Ebook
282
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About this ebook
The international bestseller from the author of Being Mortal
In these gripping accounts of true cases, bestselling author Atul Gawande performs exploratory surgery on medicine itself, laying bare a science not in its idealised form, but as it actually is - complicated, perplexing and profoundly human.
This is a stunningly well-written account of the life of a surgeon: what it is like to cut into people's bodies and the terrifying - literally life and death - decisions that have to be made: operations that go wrong; of doctors who go to the bad; why autopsies are necessary; what it feels like to insert your knife into someone.
'Written as tautly as a thriller' Observer
In these gripping accounts of true cases, bestselling author Atul Gawande performs exploratory surgery on medicine itself, laying bare a science not in its idealised form, but as it actually is - complicated, perplexing and profoundly human.
This is a stunningly well-written account of the life of a surgeon: what it is like to cut into people's bodies and the terrifying - literally life and death - decisions that have to be made: operations that go wrong; of doctors who go to the bad; why autopsies are necessary; what it feels like to insert your knife into someone.
'Written as tautly as a thriller' Observer
Ratings and reviews
4.8
17 reviews
Kylie Ho
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August 4, 2019
Well-thought through and curated cases, highlighting the imperfections in the field. Important issues like this need to be addressed. Simply reading it has been encouraging that doctors/interns around the world all face these issues, and are doing their best every step of the way to manage/struggle through the gaps in knowledge and deliver the best care they can for patients, as is the heart of medicine.
Toby Speirs
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March 1, 2017
Brilliantly written. Atul Gawande is born to write. This was a bit of further reading for me, and I find his analysis brilliant - he balances objectivity with an intrinsic view of medicine, showing the true issues and unknowns, with cases, often his own to back it all up. It is clear that a lot of work has gone into this book, and it is brilliant both in a fascinating and educational capacity. I loved it.
1 person found this review helpful
Jared Evans
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July 20, 2014
Great read for anyone who works with humans. This book is about managing complexity and dealing with the shortcomings of our organisations and ourselves. Although the subject matter is medical specialty, Gawande makes this accessible to everyone.
4 people found this review helpful
About the author
Atul Gawande is a staff member of Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the New Yorker magazine. He is also Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard School of Public Health.
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