On Wednesday, November 2nd the British Medical Association (BMA) honored Thieme Medical Publishers for two of its new titles, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Anatomy, Three-Dimensional Reconstruction, and Surgical Technique and Practice of Acupuncture. Winners were announced at a prize ceremony and reception held at the BMA House in London.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery received first prize in the otolaryngology category. Written by the internationally renowned otolaryngologist Peter-John Wormald, this text discusses the latest minimally invasive endoscopic surgical techniques available to treat sinus disease and dysfunction. The book and accompanying CD-ROM help the surgeon fully visualize nasal and sinus anatomy and possible anatomic variations by enabling the surgeon to recreate three-dimensional anatomic views based on a patient's CT scans.

"I would whole-heartedly recommend this to anybody doing sinus surgery, from a trainee with moderate experience, to the experienced consultant," wrote one reviewer in The Journal of Laryngology and Otology.

Practice of Acupuncture by Hecker et al. received a high commendation in the Therapeutics (General Medicine) category of the 2005 BMA Medical Book Competition. Combining the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with Western medical acupuncture, this book is a complete "how-to" reference text with CD-ROM for learning or reviewing acupuncture techniques and point locations. The authors, leading experts from diverse disciplines, systematically guide the reader through the channels, point locations and trigger points in all areas of the body. Each acupuncture point is shown in vivo and then explained in detail, using illustrations that show its exact anatomical location and characteristics.

Doody's Book Review described the significance of Hecker's new book: "This book was written for those who practice Traditional Chinese Medicine and for anyone studying for certification. It is also a valuable reference for physicians and other health professionals with an interest in learning more about acupuncture and its basic theory. [This book] should also become a required text for acupuncture students. [It is] well referenced and the organization of the material is unique and well suited for learning."

Established in 1996, the BMA Medical Book Competition aims to encourage and reward excellence in medical publishing. Prizes are awarded in 25 categories, with an overall BMA Medical book of the year award made from the category winners. This year there were more than 600 entires -- a 10 percent increase from last year. All entries are individually reviewed and appraised by doctors and educators who are interested in medical publishing.

For more information on Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Anatomy, Three-Dimensional Reconstruction, and Surgical Technique, please visit its product page.

For more information on the Practice of Acupuncture, please visit its product page.