Although not foremost on a person’s mind after curative, restorative or cosmetic surgery, questions are being raised about the short and long-term health outcomes from the surgical procedure and anesthesia. At the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists in early June and as guest editor of the June 2006 issue of Anesthesiology Clinics of North America devoted to this matter, Dr. Steffen E. Meiler discussed these issues and has presented a fascinating outlook about an area that up to now has not been given too much attention.

• Dr. Steffen E. Meiler, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Medicine and Vice Chairman of Research and Director, Program of Molecular Perioperative Medicine & Genomics, Dept. of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia.