The second edition of this book attempts to bring together and analyze what we currently know about the long-term effects of conditions and operative procedures in pediatric surgery and urology. The subject of long-term outcomes has been relatively neglected in the past. However, the realization that there is an ever-expanding cohort of children reaching maturity with a variable legacy from childhood surgical problems has prompted a more critical and detailed study of outcomes with the aim of optimizing current surgical practice. Encouragingly, all major international pediatric surgical meetings now include data on long-term outcomes. Furthermore, in the decade since the first edition of this text was conceived, the quality and relevance of the data are substantially more robust. Much more is now known about long-term function and quality of life. Data on outcomes provide a barometer for healthcare, indicating its efficacy, safety, acceptability, and sometimes its cost-effectiveness. Such data will be used increasingly to shape public policy and guide surgical practice. Perhaps, more than in any other field of surgery, it is necessary for pediatric surgeons and urologists to look critically at long-term outcomes and the effect these have on the quality of life of their patients and their families.

By inviting contributions from leading experts around the world including the USA, Europe, Australia, and Japan, we have collected together critical analyses of the literature, framed within the context of a wealth of institutional and personal experience. We are grateful to our many authors for their outstanding efforts.