You can use the isolate select function, but it's a little wierd with polys>>>>( only works with faces)

select the faces around the area you want to work on.

go to Show>Isolateselect> view selected.

(I usually tear off that little window so I can toggle it)

Once you have the faces isolated, you can change to vertexes or edges with the Funct keys

It's a lot easier with nurbs> just isolate select the vertices

Joe