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Gray's Surgical Anatomy

  • 2nd Edition - July 2, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Peter A. Brennan, Susan Standring, Sam M. Wiseman
  • Language: English

Written and edited by expert surgeons in collaboration with a world-renowned anatomist, this exquisitely illustrated reference consolidates surgical, anatomical, and technical kn… Read more

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Description

Written and edited by expert surgeons in collaboration with a world-renowned anatomist, this exquisitely illustrated reference consolidates surgical, anatomical, and technical knowledge for the entire human body in a single volume. Part of the highly respected Gray's family of texts and atlases, this fully revised and updated resource brings to life the applied anatomical knowledge that is critically important in the operating theatre, with a high level of detail to ensure safe and effective surgical practice. Gray's Surgical Anatomy, 2nd Edition, is unique in the field—serving as a textbook of regional anatomy as well as an atlas for operative procedures—making it an invaluable practical resource for surgeons and surgical trainees at all levels of experience, as well as medical students, radiologists, and anatomists.

Gray's Surgical Anatomy is especially appropriate for surgeons in training and has become the “go-to” five-star text for postgraduate examinations where candidates are required to demonstrate a knowledge of applied surgical anatomy.

Key features

  • Expert content written by surgeons for surgeons, overseen by co-editors and internationally recognised surgeons Peter A. Brennan and Sam Wiseman, with all anatomical detail quality assured by co-editor and Gray's Anatomy Editor-in-Chief, Susan Standring; section editors and contributors are global leaders in areas such as head and neck surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, and general surgery
  • Features superb colour photographs from the operating theatre, accompanied by detailed explanatory artwork and figures from the latest imaging modalities, plus summary tables, dozens of cadaveric and intra-operative videos, up-to-date self-assessment questions, and case-based scenarios—making it an ideal reference and learning package for surgeons and trainees at all levels
  • Reflects contemporary practice with chapters logically organised by anatomical region, designed for relevance to surgeons across a wide range of subspecialties, practice types, and clinical settings, and aligned with the requirements of current surgical training curricula
  • Contains new sections on Surgical Anatomy Teaching: Evidenced Based Approaches; Moral Injury/Moral Damage; Endovascular Surgery; and Gender Reassignment Surgery/Transgender Surgery; as well as enhanced coverage of human factors and minimising error; the root of the neck; vascular anatomy; considerations relevant to robotic surgery; and much more
  • Maximises day-to-day practical application with depictions of key anatomical features and relationships that are essential for safe surgical practice throughout, as well as clearly signposted “Tips and Anatomical Hazards”
  • Integrates essential anatomy for robotic and minimal access approaches, including laparoscopic and endoscopic techniques
  • Provides online access to supplementary operative and cadaveric dissections videos and self-assessment material to bring content to life, add further clarity, and test your understanding of key surgical anatomy concepts
  • An eBook version is included with purchase. The eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references, with the ability to search, make notes and highlights, and have content read aloud

Readership

Surgical trainees and other clinicians interested in surgical anatomy (such as interventional radiologists, anaesthetists/anaesthesiologists). Established consultant surgeons wishing to revise/update their surgical anatomical knowledge. Clinicians involved in emergency medicine, who are often confronted with surgical anatomy in their everyday practice

Table of contents

SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

1. A short history of surgery

2. Understanding human factors to improve patient safety and team performance

3. Beyond location and function: the evolution of anatomy education for surgeons

4. Moral injury – the concept and its implications

SECTION 2 HEAD AND NECK

5. Overview of the head and neck

6. Facial bone osteology and nasoethmoidal complex

7. Face and scalp

8. Orbital anatomy

9. Orbit and eye

10. Nose and paranasal sinuses

11. Infratemporal fossa and pterygopalatine fossa

12. Temporomandibular joint

13. Mouth

14. Salivary glands

15. External and middle ear

16. Temporal bone

17. Neck

18. Pharynx

19. Larynx

20. Thyroid and parathyroid glands

VIDEOS

7.1 Facial nerve, dissection of left face

7.2 Trigeminal nerve, dissection of left face

7.3 Facial muscles, dissection of right face

8.1 Dissection of right orbit

10.1 Head and neck – hemisection

11.1 Head and neck – infratemporal fossa – superficial

11.2 Head and neck – infratemporal fossa – deep

11.3 Mandibular swing to access infratemporal fossa/maxillectomy

11.4 Total conservative parotidectomy with masticator and infratemporal fossa compartment resection

11.5 Double mandibular osteotomy for deep lobe parotid tumour/high internal carotid artery

11.6 Endoscopic anatomy of the infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae

17.1 The neck

18.1 Head and neck – posterior – pharynx

18.2 Transoral robotic resection of right base of tongue tumour

19.1 Mucosal wave – stroboscopic examination of vocal folds

SECTION 3 NEUROANATOMY

21. Overview of neurosurgical anatomy

22. Suprasellar and paraclinoidal regions

23. Cerebellopontine angle

24. Foramen magnum and inferior clivus

25. Ventricular system

26. Cerebral hemispheres and white matter tracts

27. Cerebral vasculature

28. Basal ganglia and thalamus

29. Brainstem and pineal region

30. Spinal cord

VIDEOS

22.1 Tuberculum sellae meningioma

22.2 Craniopharyngioma

24.1 Far-lateral approach to a right pontine cavernoma

25.1 Endoscopic third ventriculostomy

28.1 MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy for essential tremor

SECTION 4 BACK AND SPINE

31. Overview of the back and spine

32. Intervertebral joints, foramina and ligaments

33. Cervical spine

34. Thoracic spine

35. Lumbar spine, sacrum and coccyx

36. Anatomy of lumbar puncture and epidural analgesia

VIDEOS

31.1 Back – superficial

36.1 Anatomy of lumbar puncture and epidural analgesia

36.2 Anatomy of lumbar puncture and epidural analgesia: lumbar puncture needle

SECTION 5 UPPER LIMB

37. Overview of the upper limb

38. Supraclavicular and infraclavicular regions

39. Axilla

40. Shoulder girdle and upper arm

41. Elbow and forearm

42. Wrist and hand

VIDEOS

41.1 Upper limb – elbow joint

SECTION 6 THORAX

43. Overview of the thorax and diaphragm and surgical anatomy of the chest wall

44. Great vessels: surgical access

45. Oesophagus, thoracic duct and lymphatics

46. Pleura and thoracic sympathetic trunk

47. Lungs, bronchi and trachea

48. Thymus

49. Pericardium and pericardial drainage

50. Echocardiographic anatomy of the heart

51. Mitral and tricuspid valves

52. Aortic valve, aortic root, left ventricular outflow tract and pulmonary valve

53. Ventricles, coronary vessels and access to conduits for grafting

54. Breast

55. Endovascular surgery

VIDEOS

43.1 Thorax – superficial

43.2 Chest wall resection

44.1 Thorax – heart

44.2 Thorax – internal

44.3 Replacement of aortic arch and placement of a frozen elephant trunk

44.4 Total aortic replacement

45.1 Dissection of the posterior and superior mediastinum

54.1 Thorax – breast

SECTION 7 ABDOMEN

56. Overview of the abdomen

57. Anterior abdominal wall

58. Inguinal region

59. Posterior abdominal wall and retroperitoneum

60. The mesentery, peritoneum and peritoneal cavity

61. Abdominal oesophagus and stomach

62. Small intestine

63. Colon, rectum and anus

64. Liver

65. Liver biopsy, resections and a brief overview of transplantation

66. Pancreas, gallbladder and biliary tree

67. Spleen

68. Adrenal glands

69. Development and congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract and its adnexae

70. Endoscopic anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract

VIDEOS

56.1 Abdominal cavity part I

56.2 Abdominal cavity part II

58.1 Posterior view of female inguinal anatomy during robotic TAPP femoral hernia repair

59.1 Abdominal cavity part III

59.2 Abdominal cavity part IV

63.1 Laparascopic appendicectomy

65.1 Liver biopsy

65.2 Liver transplant

68.1 Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma in patients with MEN 2A

70.1 Barrett’s oesophagus

70.2 Dysplastic Barrett’s – endoscopic mucosal resection

70.3 ERCP with cholangioscopy

70.4 Ascending colon polyp – endoscopic mucosal resection

70.5 Rectal lesion – endoscopic submucosal dissection

SECTION 8 PELVIC VISCERA: UROGENITAL SYSTEM

71. Overview of pelvic viscera

72. Kidneys and ureters

73. Bladder and urethra

74. Pelvic inlet, pelvic floor and perineum

75. Male reproductive system

76. Prostate

77. Female reproductive system

78. Gender-affirming surgery/transgender surgery

79. Development and congenital anomalies of the urogenital system

VIDEOS

72.1 Using 3D perfusion zone models during robotassisted partial nephrectomy

72.2 Identifying renal vascular anatomy using intravenous indocyanine green during robotic partial nephrectomy

73.1 Pelvis and perineum – female

73.2 Pelvis and perineum – male

74.1 Robotic pelvic lymph node dissection

76.1 Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

76.2 Holmium enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)

76.3 Robotic prostatectomy – interfascial nerve spare

76.4 Robotic prostatectomy – urethrovesical anastomosis

77.1 Total laparoscopic hysterectomy with right salpingo-oophorectomy

77.2 Laparoscopic right salpingo-oophorectomy

77.3 Robotic dissection of inferior hypogastric nerve on the left side

SECTION 9 BONY PELVIS AND LOWER LIMB

80. Overview of the pelvis and lower limb

81. Vascular anatomy of the lower limb

82. Innervation of the lower limb and nerve blockade techniques

83. Pelvic girdle

84. Hip

85. Thigh

86. Popliteal fossa

87. Knee

88. Compartments of the leg

89. Ankle

90. Foot

VIDEOS

81.1 Lower limb – thigh and leg – posterior – deep

82.1 Lower limb – gluteal region – superficial

82.2 Lower limb – thigh – anterior – deep

82.3 Lower limb – leg and foot – anterior – deep

83.1 Lower limb – gluteal region – deep

84.1 Cadaveric dissection of the right hip joint

85.1 Superficial dissection of the left femoral triangle, female

85.2 Superficial dissection of lower limb, posterior aspect

87.1 Lower limb – knee joint

89.1 Lower limb – ankle joint

90.1 Lower limb – foot – plantar

90.2 Lower limb – leg and foot – anterior – superficial

EPONYMS

Review quotes

Review of the previous edition:
"This book is well done and I will recommend it highly to my colleagues. It is well written without being overly wordy and has high quality images and good clinical correlations." -Abhishek Kashyap, MD (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics) Doody's Review Score: 94-4 Stars!

Product details

  • Edition: 2
  • Latest edition
  • Published: September 9, 2026
  • Language: English

About the editors

PB

Peter A. Brennan

Professor Peter A. Brennan, MD, FRCS, FRCSI, FDSRCS, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Professor of Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK. President-Elect, British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (2015). Honorary Editor, British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Affiliations and expertise
Consultant Maxillofacial/Head and Neck Surgeon, Honorary Professor of Surgery, Maxillofacial Unit, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK, Chairman, Intercollegiate Committee for Basic Surgical Examinations (MRCS and DOHNS), UK

SS

Susan Standring

Affiliations and expertise
Emeritus Professor of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, King's College, London, UK

SW

Sam M. Wiseman

Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Consultant Head & Neck Surgeon, Surgical Oncologist, General Surgeon & Research Director, Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, St. Paul's Hospital/Providence Health Care, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada