This book addresses the needs of the newly defined basic surgical trainee. Most BSTs now take part in prolonged rotations, with rela­ tively brief exposure to a wide range of different specialties. This book is designed to go with the trainee through the rotation, to provide a practical guide to the procedures that s/he may be expected to perform in each specialty. The Editors have deliberately avoided including major procedures at which the BST will be an interested observer. The emphasis throughout is on a clear practical guide to the minor and intermedi­ ate procedures which the trainee will perform. Undoubtedly, the first attempts at most of these procedures will be well supervised, but we hope that the descriptions in this book will help the trainee to master each procedure rapidly and with confidence. In addition we have included chapters on general aspects such as medical management, local anaesthetic techniques and basic surgi­ cal skills such as knot tying and instrument handling. We have adopted a direct, didactic style, because basic surgical trainees need clear direction. There are of course many other ways of doing most of the procedures described in these pages, and such variations will doubtless stimulate helpful discussions on practical points. Discussion and justification have been kept to a minimum, because we have focused on the essential practical steps of the procedures described.