MCh Head and Neck Surgery Books — Reading List

Reference reading list

The reference reading list for MCh Head and Neck Surgery

These 18 titles are the standard references for Head and Neck Surgery, drawn from the NBE DrNB curriculum and the texts Indian teaching departments work from. Each is shown with the edition in circulation now, so you can print or buy the right one first time.

Jatin Shah's Head and Neck Surgery and OncologyJatin P. Shah, Snehal G. Patel, Bhuvanesh Singh, Richard Wong · 5th editionThe principal operative and oncologic reference for the specialty, covering anatomy, staging and site-wise surgical management.
Stell and Maran's Textbook of Head and Neck Surgery and OncologyJohn C. Watkinson, Ralph W. Gilbert · 5th editionStandard didactic textbook used for structured reading and theory examinations.
Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck SurgeryHoward W. Francis · 8th editionComprehensive multi-volume otolaryngology reference used for the head and neck oncology and skull base sections.
Scott-Brown's Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryJohn C. Watkinson, Raymond W. Clarke · 8th editionThree-volume British reference consulted for laryngology, rhinology and head and neck oncology chapters.
Myers' Cancer of the Head and NeckJeffrey N. Myers, Ehab Y. Hanna, Eugene N. MyersSite-specific oncology text covering multidisciplinary management of head and neck malignancy.
Head and Neck Cancer: A Multidisciplinary ApproachLouis B. Harrison, Roy B. Sessions, Merrill S. Kies · 4th editionIntegrates surgical, radiation and medical oncology perspectives for tumour board level decision-making.
Surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid GlandsGregory W. Randolph · 3rd editionReference text for thyroid and parathyroid surgery, including nerve monitoring and central compartment dissection.
The Recurrent and Superior Laryngeal NervesGregory W. RandolphFocused monograph on laryngeal nerve anatomy, intraoperative monitoring and injury avoidance.
Functional and Selective Neck DissectionJavier GavilanOperative monograph on the anatomy and technique of conservative neck dissection.
Atlas of Regional and Free Flaps for Head and Neck Reconstruction: Flap Harvest and InsettingMark L. Urken, Mack L. Cheney, Keith E. Blackwell · 2nd editionStep-by-step atlas of flap harvest and insetting for reconstruction after ablative surgery.
Grabb's Encyclopedia of Flaps: Head and NeckBerish Strauch, Luis O. Vasconez, Charles K. Herman, Bernard T. Lee · 4th editionEncyclopedic catalogue of head and neck flaps used when planning reconstructive options.
Head and Neck PathologyLeon Barnes, Simion Chiosea, Raja Seethala, David ElderDiagnostic pathology reference for correlating specimens and frozen sections with surgical planning.
Head and Neck RadiologyAnthony A. MancusoTwo-volume imaging reference for cross-sectional interpretation and radiologic staging.
Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancers: Indications and TechniquesAdam S. Garden · 5th editionPractical guide to radiation indications, target volumes and technique relevant to combined modality care.
Contemporary Oral OncologyMoni Abraham KuriakoseMulti-volume text on oral cavity cancer biology, diagnosis and management, widely used in Indian units.
Comprehensive Management of Skull Base TumorsEhab Y. HannaReference for anterior and lateral skull base approaches and multidisciplinary tumour management.
Conservative Laryngeal SurgerySultan PradhanIndian monograph on organ-preservation and partial laryngectomy techniques.
Open Access Atlas of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Operative SurgeryJohan FaganFreely available operative atlas used for pre-operative revision of head and neck procedures.

Source: NBE DrNB curriculum for Head and Neck Surgery

What residents actually use

Current editions, and what each one is for

The books most residents actually buy. These are the editions in circulation now, with a note on whether each is something you read through, keep as a reference, or open only for the viva.

Jatin Shah's Head and Neck Surgery and OncologyJatin P. Shah, Snehal G. Patel, Bhuvanesh Singh, Richard Wong · 5th edition · core referenceThe single indispensable text for this superspecialty in India.
Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery (3 vols)Paul W. Flint, Bruce H. Haughey, Valerie J. Lund, K. Thomas Robbins, J. Regan Thomas · 7th edition · core referenceEncyclopaedic coverage including skull base, larynx and reconstruction.
Bailey's Head and Neck Surgery: Otolaryngology (2 vols)Clark A. Rosen, Stacey L. Ishman, Michael M. Johns III · 6th edition · supplementary referenceReadable complement to Cummings with strong operative chapters.
Operative Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery (2 vols)Eugene N. Myers, Carl H. Snyderman · 3rd edition · operative atlasStep-by-step technique for neck dissection, laryngectomy and skull base approaches.
AJCC Cancer Staging ManualAmerican Joint Committee on Cancer · 8th edition · staging referenceHead and neck staging changed substantially in the 8th edition; examiners test it.
NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines: Head and Neck Cancers (current version)National Comprehensive Cancer Network · guidelinesFree and the expected framework for multimodality management answers.
Head and Neck Imaging (2 vols)Peter M. Som, Hugh D. Curtin · 5th edition · imaging referenceFor CT/MRI/PET spots and assessment of resectability.
Reconstruction of the Head and Neck: A Defect-Oriented ApproachEric M. Genden · 2nd edition · reconstruction referenceFree flap and defect-based reconstruction algorithms.
DeVita, Hellman and Rosenberg's Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology (head and neck sections)Vincent T. DeVita Jr., Theodore S. Lawrence, Steven A. Rosenberg · 12th edition · oncology backgroundFor chemotherapy, radiotherapy and trial evidence.

Reading plan

What to read, and when

Three years of superspecialty training goes faster than it sounds, and most of it is spent on the floor. The order below is what works for most MCh Head and Neck Surgery residents.

Year 1

Build the base

Shah's Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology read cover to cover with surgical anatomy and osteology; AJCC staging drilled to fluency; register the thesis protocol.

Year 2

Go deep, collect thesis data

Cummings and Myers' Operative Otolaryngology by subsite matched to operating lists; Som and Curtin for imaging; Genden for reconstruction; thesis data collection and microvascular lab work.

Year 3

Revise, drill, submit

NCCN and landmark trial review (RTOG 9111, EORTC 22931/RTOG 9501, DAHANCA, Indian D'Cruz elective neck dissection trial), second Shah pass, and intensive mock clinicals, imaging and pathology spots.

Thesis

References for your thesis

Protocol, methodology and reporting standards examiners expect you to have followed.

ICMR National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants (2017)
Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology
Head & Neck (Wiley) and Oral Oncology
JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery and The Laryngoscope
AJCC 8th edition staging and RECIST 1.1 / CTCAE v5.0 for endpoints; EORTC QLQ-H&N35 for quality of life
STROBE / CONSORT / PRISMA reporting statements (equator-network.org)

Practical & viva

What the practical actually tests

Cases, spotters and stations that come up again and again in the exit exam.

Long case: oral cavity or laryngeal cancer with full staging, resectability and reconstruction plan
Short cases: neck node, thyroid swelling, parotid mass, post-radiotherapy neck, tracheostomy assessment
Imaging spots: CECT neck, MRI, PET-CT, orthopantomogram
Pathology: gross specimens, frozen section principles, margin and depth-of-invasion assessment, immunohistochemistry
Instruments: neck dissection set, laryngoscopes, tracheostomy tubes, microvascular set, energy devices, plating systems
Osteology of mandible, maxilla and skull base
Operative video and reconstruction algorithm discussion
Logbook and thesis defence

About the course

MCh Head and Neck Surgery in context

The MCh Head and Neck Surgery exit examination is set by the affiliating university under NMC Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations. The prevailing format is four theory papers of 100 marks — applied basic sciences and head-neck anatomy; oral cavity, pharynx and larynx oncology; thyroid, salivary, skull base and reconstruction; and recent advances — followed by a clinical/practical with long and short cases, ward rounds, imaging and pathology spots, instruments and osteology, and viva with logbook and thesis.

Frequently asked

MCh Head and Neck Surgery books — questions

Which books should I read for MCh Head and Neck Surgery?

The titles on this page are the ones residents and departments actually use, each with the edition in circulation now. Start with the first one listed and add the references as your reading deepens.

Which single book should I start with in MCh Head and Neck Surgery?

Jatin Shah's Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology by Jatin P. Shah, Snehal G. Patel, Bhuvanesh Singh, Richard Wong is the usual anchor. The single indispensable text for this superspecialty in India.

How is MCh Head and Neck Surgery different from the DNB or MD version?

MCh Head and Neck Surgery is a superspecialty course taken after a broad-specialty MD, MS or DNB, so the reading is narrower and deeper. The broad-specialty texts are assumed knowledge by the time you start.

Do I need to buy every book listed?

No. Most residents own two or three and use the department or library copy for the rest. That is exactly why printing selected chapters from a PDF works out cheaper than buying volumes you will open twice.

Can you print these books for me?

We print from the PDF you send us. Send the file on WhatsApp with your page count and whether you want colour, black and white or mixed, and we print, bind and deliver anywhere in India. We do not supply copyrighted book files.

How much does printing cost?

Black and white is 50 paise a page, colour is Rs 1 a page, and binding is Rs 40 per bound volume. A 400-page mixed set with binding usually works out around Rs 300 plus delivery.

Books for MCh Head and Neck Surgery.