Book excerpt: This book encompasses many different diagnoses as well as several specialties of practicing surgeons in the United States. Over the last ten years many advances have been made in preoperative assessment including imaging and diagnostic techniques, operative approaches including “minimally invasive” and robotic surgery, and post operative care. Controversies in Thyroid Surgery explores some of the controversies that arise as the result of these new findings and applications. The book is divided into the two categories of benign diagnosis and cancer topics. Both of these areas lend themselves to separate analysis of specific problems in the areas mentioned above. The text reviews recent data about advances in diagnostic techniques as well as outcomes with specific regards to the newer operative techniques. The textbook will serve as a resource for medical and surgical colleagues involved in the treatment of a wide variety of thyroid diseases. Authors that are experts in their field and have published extensively provide balanced and non-biased views of topics that are admittedly controversial. Controversies in Thyroid Surgery will be of great value and utility to practicing endocrinologists, general surgeons and otolaryngologists.