Book excerpt: Providing the inside track on how the experts approach and deal with real-world clinical scenarios, Challenging Concepts in Anaesthesia selects specific challenging cases that are encountered in everyday clinical practice but do not have simple answers. A case-based guide to challenging areas in anaesthesia and pain management, this book covers the major sub-specialty areas in both fields. Complex cases are comprehensively examined from a multidisciplinary perspective with detailed consideration given to management options and the contemporary evidence base behind these decisions. An effective revision aid and a reference during workplace-based assessments, Challenging Concepts in Anaesthesia highlights critical information through the use of boxed features: 'Learning points', 'Clinical tips', 'Evidence-base'. Each chapter has been reviewed by a national or international expert in the field and they have provided an 'Expert commentary', giving a unique insight into how today's opinion leaders confront and deal with the very same management challenges that all clinicians can potentially face on a daily basis. Mapped to the Royal College of Anaesthetists' matrix for CME and the FRCA syllabus, this book is ideal for continuing medical education and revalidation as well as for trainees preparing for examinations.