REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Martin Dauber, MD(University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine)

Description: This is a practical guide to providing anesthesia for emergent and urgent surgical procedures. It is not limited to anesthesia for trauma, including almost all of the surgical emergencies that an anesthetist might encounter.

Purpose: Combined, the editors have almost a century of clinical anesthesia experience in India. They assemble this wealth of emergency clinical cases and organize the presentation of facts by organ system and body region. In the past, this topic was covered as part of the relevant subspecialty books. These authors first clearly define, then approach the emergent/urgent situation as a study in and of itself. They have successfully developed a practical guide.

Audience: This book is designed for both trainees and practicing anesthetists, especially those wishing or needing more understanding of the imperatives that drive demands for emergency anesthesia. The book may be too basic for skilled practitioners in general, but there are certainly areas that have more appeal to those already in practice, such as the ones describing application of new procedures that may involve anesthesiologists (GI endoscopy, disaster management, etc.).

Features: Several introductory chapters give a basic review of definitions followed by a brief discussion of pharmacology of anesthetics (which could have been left out). Sections devoted to cardiac, general surgery, obstetric, neonatal, ENT, ophthalmic, and neurosurgical emergencies follow. Some of these chapters have deficiencies (e.g. the ophthalmic chapter quotes decades-old studies and the neurosurgical chapter is too superficial). However, the final chapters covering trauma and miscellaneous issues are generally excellent, especially the ones on spinal cord injury.

Assessment: This book sets out to provide a practical approach and it succeeds in its mission. It is not meant to be an all-inclusive treatise, despite its 600 pages. For trainees and early-career practitioners, it could serve as a quick read while waiting for the emergency case to arrive in the OR

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Patricia Wong, MD(Stanford University Medical Center)

Description: This is an introduction to dermatologic surgery and aesthetic procedures employing lasers, chemical peels, Botox injections, dermal fillers, etc. The authors are all based in India, so the book has a strong focus on treating darker skin types. Unique elements include contact information for all authors (emails and addresses), detailed vendor contact information (which are all located in India), and chapters dealing with topics not usually discussed in standard dermatologic surgery textbooks, such as removal of subcutaneous leprosy nodules and how to perform circumcisions.

Purpose: This is intended to function as a comprehensive surgical reference for all procedures a dermatologist could perform.

Audience: The audience is dermatologists and dermatology students and residents.

Features: The book covers a wide variety of procedures, with most chapters beginning with a discussion of fundamental principles followed by numerous color photographs showing the procedures being performed at various stages to accompany the text. There are some curious points that I am sorry the authors did not elaborate upon. Handyplast is recommended as a topical agent for use after CO2 laser resurfacing, but no mention is made as to the product's composition. The chapter on varicose veins lists Western style toilets as a possible aggravating factor, but does not specify what the mechanics are that are causing venous insufficiency. What kind of toilet design is most desirable for remedying this condition? One is left to speculate. There is a good explanation of how local anesthesia works on blocking sodium channels. The surgical chapter on needles gives a nice description of the different types of surgical needles with good diagrams.

Assessment: Overall, this book would be useful to give the budding dermatologic surgeon a broad overview of all procedures in the field. Basic principles, risks, and the general techniques involved are outlined nicely. For the most part, one would need to consult a specialty book on the individual procedures to be confident enough to attempt these therapies.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Vincent F Carr, DO, MSA, FACC, FACP (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)

Description: This is the ninth edition of a standard textbook of internal medicine published by the Association of Physicians India (API). The previous edition was published in 2009.

Purpose: The book has a focus on diagnoses that are endemic in India and not usually seen in industrialized countries. The editors and contributors have presented an extraordinary book, well written and well produced with excellent graphics.

Audience: As the title implies, this is directed at clinicians practicing in India. As the world becomes increasingly smaller with the ready availability of air travel and migration, this book, because of its expanded focus, is important for clinicians who have the opportunity to care for travellers and immigrant populations.

Features: The book is divided into sections correlating with the traditional organ systems. Additional chapters address environmental medicine, poisoning and toxicology, and nutrition. The graphics are well produced and each chapter has numerous tables and full-color photo reproductions. There are a limited number of references, while each chapter has recommended readings for more detailed information. The book has a website in development with teaching modules, self-assessment questions, an atlas/image bank, echocardiogram and EEG sections.

Assessment: This is a worthwhile textbook for an internist's personal library.

Ratings:

(5 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
James A. Brown, MD (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine)

Description: Specialists in standard, hand-assisted, and da Vinci robotic assisted laparoscopic urologic surgery thoroughly cover these varying approaches to upper and lower urinary tract surgery, including anesthesia and setup. The sections and chapters are well organized with excellent tables, figures, and comprehensive intraoperative photographs.

Purpose: The purpose is to present an excellent side-by-side comparison of the various laparoscopic techniques, including extraperitoneal, laparoendoscopic single site (LESS), and hand-assisted laparoscopic (HAL), and robotic approaches to the wide range of upper and lower urinary tract surgical procedures. The initial section covers anesthesia and setup and is followed by chapters replete with effective diagrams and step-by-step illustrations. The book ends with a thorough index.

Audience: The book is intended for students, residents, or urologic practitioners wishing to develop a deep general understanding of the varying minimally invasive urologic surgical procedures or to master the nuances and relative advantages and disadvantages of each surgical approach. The authors are well known authorities across the wide range of laparoscopic and robotic procedures presented.

Features: The first two chapters present the anesthesia needed for and instrumentation used to perform both laparoscopic and robotic urologic surgery. The next nine chapters present varying laparoscopic, robotic, and laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) approaches to total and partial nephrectomy as well as nephroureterectomy, adrenalectomy, and caval thrombectomy. The final 13 chapters cover the wide range of minimally invasive surgical approaches to prostatectomy, total and partial cystectomy, distal ureterectomy, and pelvic and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, plus renal thermal ablation and laparoscopic complications. The comprehensive side-by-side comparisons and extensive illustrations are the book's strengths.

Assessment: This is a valuable, unique asset for all residents and practitioners wanting to master or further expand their minimally invasive urologic surgery armamentarium. It provides a unique comparison of competing surgical approaches. It is very thorough, containing extensive illustrations and written by world-renowned, cutting-edge experts in the field.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Amit Keswani, MD(Ochsner Clinic Foundation)

Description: This is an educational tool that comprehensively reviews cardiovascular medicine. The editors are leaders in the field of academic cardiovascular medicine and each topic is authored by a recognized expert in that field of cardiology.

Purpose: It is intended as a comprehensive, illustrated reference covering the entire spectrum of cardiovascular disease.

Audience: This book will be of interest to students, advanced practice clinicians, nurses, physicians-in-training, cardiology fellows, and clinicians involved in taking care of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Features: Volume one reviews basic cardiac anatomy, pharmacology, history and physical examination findings associated with cardiovascular disease, and includes electrophysiology and coronary heart disease. Volume two reviews valvular heart disease, vascular disease, congestive heart failure, myocardial/pericardial disease, pulmonary vascular disease, adult congenital heart disease, preventive cardiology, and evolving concepts in cardiovascular medicine. Sections are written by recognized experts in their respective fields of cardiovascular medicine. Further reading with references is suggested at the end of each chapter. Additionally, a DVD is included for important echocardiography findings.

Assessment: This is a thoroughly detailed and illustrated review of cardiovascular medicine. It is a valuable addition to the current medical literature in this area.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Joel C Seidman, MD(William Beaumont Hospitals)

Description: Dealing with "exacerbations" of respiratory disease, even if objectively definable, has always been difficult. Some diseases, by their nature, have the potential only occasionally to intensify with great morbidity or mortality, often remitting without int

Purpose: This is a concise and up-to-date treatise, brief in its explorations, that attempts to present the observations of authorities of diverse experience to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of the art regarding exacerbations of bronchopulmonary disease. However, there appears to be little that is new and not covered in other, separate references or in several similar (and more comprehensive) books published over the last 2-3 years. This compilation's greatest asset is its brevity.

Audience: The audience would include pulmonologists, intensivists, and perhaps infectious disease specialists. Nurses, respiratory therapists, and rehabilitators would find the reference informative, but too focused on topics outside of their realms.

Features: This book focuses on the broad subject of disease exacerbation without necessarily narrowly defining what constitutes an exacerbation in each instance, stressing established or emerging areas of controversy or points where prior practices have been modified or augmented. Illustrations and graphics are limited but sufficient to carry out the ends of each chapter. The bibliographies at each chapter end are extensive and relevant.

Assessment: The book achieves its likely intended goals well. For the average practitioner, it is accessible, but not essential.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
John David Cramer, M.D.(Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

Description: With an emphasis on teaching basic history and physical examination skills relevant to the head and neck, this book provides a cursory discussion of the major areas of otolaryngology. This update of a 2002 book includes new sections on thyroid disease and nasal endoscopy.

Purpose: The author seeks to describe the essential clinical skills for approaching head and neck pathology. He succeeds in providing an accessible book that accomplishes this worthy objective.

Audience: Junior medical students or residents in other specialties may find this a helpful primer to acquire competence in the basic head and neck exam.

Features: The excellent range of pathology, displayed in full color images supplemented with occasional illustrations, is a strength of the book. It also is succinct enough to be read in an afternoon. Its main weakness stems from the minimal discussion of pathophysiology and treatment paradigms, but this also ensures its applicability across a range of clinical settings.

Assessment: This book fills the niche for clinical skills books for medical students and physicians with an interest in otolaryngology. Overall, it is an excellent resource to teach the basic head and neck exam. It is similar in scope to Primary Care Otolaryngology, 2nd edition, Wax (American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2004), but it differs in its attention to teaching clinical skills. The attention to basic skills gives this book a broad international appeal that would be useful in any practice setting.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Riad Barmada, MD(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This small book addresses the special technical skills required for difficult total hip replacement surgery for patients with pathological conditions that produce bony deformities and soft tissue alterations.

Purpose: The purpose is to offer the benefit of the author's experience and expertise in dealing with difficult hip replacement surgery.

Audience: The audience is young orthopedic surgeons with limited experience, but all orthopedic surgeons and residents could benefit from this book.

Features: The book starts with a description of various approaches commonly used in hip replacement, then addresses each pathological condition with detailed information about the surgical approach required for each one, as well as the prosthetic instrumentation and reconstruction that is necessary.

Assessment: This is an excellent book on uncommon total hip replacement with very helpful technical information. It is well written with excellent illustrations. It is a good addition to the orthopedic surgery literature.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Jay P. Goldsmith, MD(Tulane University School of Medicine)

Description: This is the second edition of a primer on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a modality to support neonates with respiratory insufficiency.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide an instructional-type primer on the application of this respiratory support technique. As with most technical innovations, the devil is in the details, and this book is the most detailed description of the technique in the literature. It borrows heavily from the approach of Dr. Wung from Columbia University, even including protocols from that institution. Teaching CPAP technique is a worthy goal and, for the most part, the authors meet this objective.

Audience: The book is intended for junior neonatal staff, fellows, residents, nurse practitioners, and perhaps neonatal nurses and respiratory therapists who work with CPAP in their units. It is fairly basic for experienced senior clinicians, although many neonatologists could use a refresher on the respiratory physiology found in these pages. The authors and editors are not well known and virtually all of their information and data is from other publications.

Features: In 20 brief and well-illustrated chapters, the book covers the respiratory physiology, indications, application, radiographic and blood gas analyses associated with the use of CPAP. Case studies are also included as well as the Columbia protocols mentioned above. The best chapter is probably the review of different devices and modes of delivering CPAP with a good discussion of the differences between variable flow and continuous CPAP as well as SiPAP (CPAP with a rate delivered without intubation). The illustrations are small but well done and colorful.

Assessment: This is a unique book devoted entirely to the bedside application of CPAP.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Bennett S. Greenspan, MD, MS (Medical College of Georgia)

Description: This is an atlas of cross-sectional anatomy in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes using clinical CT and MRI images and corresponding labeled color diagrams.

Purpose: It is intended as a quick and convenient anatomical reference for practicing radiologists and radiology residents.

Audience: The book is written for practicing radiologists who report CT and MRI studies, and it will serve as a useful reference for radiology residents as well.

Features: It is divided into five sections, on the head and neck, spine, trunk, upper extremity, and lower extremity, and covers the full range of anatomy of each area in axial, coronal, and sagittal images, using actual clinical CT and MRI images along with corresponding labeled color diagrams. The clinical images and the corresponding color diagrams are of excellent quality. There are no references.

Assessment: This book achieves its goal of providing a quick and convenient yet thorough review of cross-sectional anatomy. It should prove to be a useful reference in the reading room for practicing radiologists and radiology residents.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Valerie L. Ng, PhD MD(Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)

Description: This is a comprehensive atlas of histopathology.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide additional didactic material for medical students in their preclinical years, and a pectoral guide for advanced students and clinical trainees wanting to revisit histopathology. These worthy objectives are well met by this book.

Audience: The book is intended to serve as a source of additional illustrations for medical students in their preclinical years, and as a comprehensive histopathology atlas for those more advanced in their training or in clinical practice. For example, trainees in specialties other than pathology (e.g., surgery, neurology, hematology, oncology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, etc.) would be ideal target audiences. And of course, for pathology residents, it is an aid for mastering the basics of microscopic diagnosis. Dr. Damjanov has authored other well-received pathology review books, and the contributing authors are credible authorities in their fields of expertise.

Features: This 380-page atlas is faithful to its title - it is a comprehensive atlas of histopathology. It covers all organ systems, displaying superb textbook-perfect examples of health and disease. Virtually all of the examples are hematoxylin and eosin stained formalin fixed tissue sections. The color reproduction is faithful. As would be expected for a book of such breadth, however, it is somewhat lacking in depth. For example, all of hematology -- including benign and malignant -- is covered in just 26 pages when entire books are devoted to this single topic. Leukemia classification is a simple listing correlating the FAB (French-American-British) and WHO 2008 classification schemes. There are no references, and the index is fairly limited.

Assessment: This is a great book if you learn well by instant pattern recognition and want a comprehensive and concise review of histopathology.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Fernando Techy, MD(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This is an objective book on an extremely important topic that is poorly understood by spine surgeons -- the concepts of value-based spine care.

Purpose: The goal of introducing the basic concepts of value-based healthcare is clearly met through a series of concise and complete chapters written by renowned professionals inside and out of spine surgery. Since value-based healthcare concepts dictate how the procedures we perform are reimbursed and are frequently being used as outcome measures in many high quality studies, it is mandatory that spine health professionals be familiar with their definitions and significance.

Audience: This book is edited by renowned spine surgeons from a world-class spine surgery service. Their research and clinical experience is vast and there is no group more appropriate than this one to introduce outcome measures to spine surgeons. This book is directed at all spine healthcare professionals.

Features: The book goes over outcome measures for different spine pathologies and their relationship with cost and research. There is no doubt that this is a very dry subject, but the authors do a good job of keeping this important information short and relevant for surgeons and researchers.

Assessment: To my knowledge, this is the first book to gather this important information on value-based medicine and direct it at spine health professionals. The book meets a definite need in this area.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Patricia Wong, MD(Stanford University Medical Center)

Description: This is an ambitious little book describing over 30 dermatologic procedures. It covers basic procedures such as cryotherapy and biopsies as well as more complicated procedures such as liposuction, suction blister grafting, and lasers. This update of a 2006 edition contains new chapters on how to perform preoperative evaluations and a CD-ROM demonstrating how to perform various types of surgeries.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide a one-stop overview of the majority of dermatologic surgical procedures.

Audience: The audience is dermatologists.

Features: The book would benefit from more careful editing. For example, the chapter on Botox injections omits the number of units recommended for axillary hyperhidrosis (the number of units is listed as xx) and a diagram that is supposed to indicate the injection sites for administering Botox to treat crow's feet shows a drawing of a face without markings. In attempting to keep the book a compact, portable size, the quality of some of the photographs has been compromised. Some of the photographs are blurry and/or too small to appreciate details. Because the author practices in India, there is an emphasis on how to treat skin of color. Using chemical peels and suction blister grafting for pigmentation disorders are succinctly discussed as are particular precautions one must take to avoid causing a pigmentation problem when performing procedures to correct acne scarring, etc. Ordering information for medical supplies is helpfully listed, but will only be useful for practitioners in India. Nice descriptions outline how to perform suction blister grafting, how to perform chemical peels, and where and where not to perform Botox injections on the face. Tables summarizing and contrasting different modalities for a particular condition are useful. The CD-ROM demonstrates Botox injections and other procedures. (A PC is needed for viewing).

Assessment: This reference is useful for providing a basic understanding of many dermatologic procedures. The descriptions and strategies for performing the various techniques are clearly presented. For straightforward procedures, such as removing ingrown toenails or administering Botox, readers can follow the instructions outlined. However, despite the detailed discussion on how to perform suction blister grafting for vitiligo or hair transplantation, readers will need more in-depth references. I think the title Dermatologic Surgery Made Easymeans easy to understand, but not necessarily easy to perform. The book does a good job of providing readers with enough information to decide if a procedure is one they are interested in learning and offering to their patients.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Vincent F Carr, DO, MSA, FACC, FACP (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)

Description: As the title suggests, this book takes a symptom-based approach to common disorders one may encounter in a primary care practice.

Purpose: It is intended to help develop a differential diagnosis based upon the presenting symptom. As one rarely guesses the correct diagnosis on the first round, this approach allows clinicians to consider a few common diagnoses concurrently, so ancillary testing may be requested yielding the correct diagnosis.

Audience: The author appears to be writing for clinicians in the Indian medical system, focusing on the particular conditions and customs of the area. The book is very basic, but one with high utility.

Features: Each chapter has an opening synopsis, followed by a list of the differential diagnoses and the appropriate diagnostic investigation, and ends with red flags and references.

Assessment: The book is quite well done, delivering the information adequately without figures, photos, and algorithms while providing appropriate references. This is a very helpful and utilitarian book for office-based clinicians.

Ratings:

(5 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Bennett S. Greenspan, MD, MS (Medical College of Georgia)

Description: One in a series of imaging courses, this book covers musculoskeletal system and breast imaging. Part 1 is an integrated approach to imaging of musculoskeletal disorders, with an emphasis on conventional radiography, while part 2 has four chapters on breast imaging.

Purpose: The purpose is twofold: to provide an integrated approach to musculoskeletal imaging, with an emphasis on conventional radiography to assist in the interpretation of bone disorders and to suggest appropriate use of imaging techniques in the evaluation of these conditions; and to provide updated information on breast imaging.

Audience: The audience is mainly practicing radiologists. The book is most helpful to general radiologists, rather than the musculoskeletal subspecialists, and it should be useful for radiology residents. It is also intended to direct clinicians to the appropriate imaging modalities in the care of their patients.

Features: The first section discusses the various imaging modalities in musculoskeletal radiology, although there is an emphasis on conventional radiography due to its importance in characterizing many lesions, especially bone tumors. Other sections cover infection and inflammatory conditions, metabolic bone disease, and bone tumors; the use of MRI of the knee, hip and pelvis, shoulder and temporomandibular joint, and bone marrow disorders; and, finally, trauma and soft tissue lesions. Part 2 on breast imaging covers mammography and other imaging modalities, as well as interventional techniques and PET/CT in the evaluation of breast cancer.

Assessment: This is a reasonably good resource for musculoskeletal and breast imaging, particularly for general radiologists and radiology residents. The chapters on musculoskeletal infection imaging and PET/CT imaging of breast cancer are particularly comprehensive. The previous edition was published in 2005, and this edition does a good job of updating much of the information, particularly regarding MRI of various skeletal disorders and PET/CT imaging.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Vincent F Carr, DO, MSA, FACC, FACP(Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)

Description: This is a book of lists -- lists of diagnoses that should be considered in the differential when evaluating a patient. It is essentially what is commonly referred to as a book of pearls, i.e., individual observations that can be relied upon to help one in the everyday practice of medicine.

Purpose: The author is a long-time, experienced clinician who has put his thoughts concerning the anatomy, physiology, physical findings, and differential down in this book. The desire of every educator is to leave his/her students with concepts that they can look back on -- this book embodies that wish.

Audience: This is a book for all to learn from. The author is a most experienced teacher and clearly a unique authority.

Features: The lists can be easily remembered. The salient points of each chapter and subsection are simple and clear. The book does assume that readers have some knowledge of medicine, making detailed explanations unnecessary.

Assessment: As a pocket-sized reference with no extraneous material, this is a fine memory adjunct for all clinicians.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Anthony Shanks, MD (Washington University School of Medicine)

Description: This is a thorough reference geared to the international obstetrician.

Purpose: The book introduces readers to recent advances particularly in ultrasound and how to apply them to common problems in obstetrics. The authors do a good job of achieving these objectives.

Audience: The authors represent an international background with which I have limited familiarity. There is an in-depth history on the Donald School which international graduates may find interesting.

Features: The table of contents is muddled and difficult to use to look up a specific chapter. Cleaning it up so that it can be covered on two pages would be helpful. Chapters themselves are clean and easy to read. One standout chapter, on cardiac imaging, does a great job of using figures and descriptions to convey the information. Earlier chapters seem abbreviated in comparison. This is a very pleasing book to look at and the material is easy to follow. Some chapters are awkwardly titled with terminology that could be changed "bad obstetric history" and "gross obese" are two examples.

Assessment: This is a simple, easy-to-read manual with nice illustrations. It has an international feel to it, although U.S. residents may find it helpful.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Selim R Krim, MD (Ochsner Clinic Foundation)

Description: This fourth edition of a practical book on reading ECGs includes a CD ROM.

Purpose: It is intended as an introduction to ECG interpretation.

Audience: This book will be very useful for students, residents, nurses, and clinical providers from all specialties who are being introduced to ECG interpretation. Dr. Luthra is a recognized authority in this field.

Features: The book starts with basic ECG nomenclature and progresses to the morphology of the tracing, such as determining the axis and ECG segment abnormalities, before focusing on ECG diagnosis. It is well illustrated with good quality ECG images.

Assessment: This ECG book is useful and easy to read. Students and providers in training will certainly benefit from it. One limitation is that the CD-ROM included with the book is not compatible with Macintosh systems.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Samuel J. Chmell, MD (University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This how-to book provides succinct recommendations for the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions that patients are likely to present with in the emergency department. The directions are straightforward, and the color photographs are very instructive.

Purpose: The purpose, according to the authors, is to provide instructions for physicians in the emergency department on the treatment of all the commonly seen musculoskeletal entities. The book does a competent job of meeting these worthy objectives.

Audience: It is written for emergency department physicians and residents as well junior residents in orthopedic surgery.

Features: The book combines photographs, illustrations, x-rays, and step-by-step instructions and demonstrations of how to perform essential musculoskeletal interventions in the emergency department. The color photographs, especially those with skin markings, are stellar.

Assessment: The true usefulness of this book is that in one single, well-constructed pocketbook we now have a comprehensive "Emergency Department Musculoskeletal Bible."

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Valerie L. Ng, PhD MD(Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)

Description: This is intended to be a comprehensive hematology and clinical pathology reference for students.

Purpose: The purpose of providing a single comprehensive book on both topics is a worthy objective, given the many, many weighty books on either hematology or clinical pathology/laboratory medicine, and is somewhat met by the authors.

Audience: The foreword states that this book is intended for students, but it doesn't clarify the particular stage of learning. My assessment is that it would be best for medical students in the first two years of training.

Features: This book contains two major sections -- one broadly covering hematology and the other clinical pathology. The 37 chapters in the hematology section addresses three major areas -- disorders of RBCs, WBCs, and hemostasis - and the 27 chapters in the clinical pathology section address clinical hematology laboratory testing topics. Both present information in bulleted lists or in abbreviated text. While this may be useful to those early in their medical education, it is much too simplistic and incomplete for those further along in training or practice. The pictures are unusual in that a mixture of photomicrographs and illustrations mimicking photomicrographs are presented for pathognomic clinical conditions. Given the plethora of pathognomic images widely available in published atlases, the use of illustrations is perplexing as they represent an idealized appearance not encountered in everyday practice. A final small issue: this is the second of three books I have reviewed from this publisher where the page edges and corners are not cleanly cut or even.

Assessment: While I appreciate the author's desire to consolidate all this information in a single relatively lightweight book, this attempt is not adequate. There have been a plethora of comprehensive hematology books recently that I would recommend instead: Pathophysiology of Blood Disorders, Bunn and Aster (McGraw-Hill, 2011); Essential Haematology, 6th edition, Hoffbrand and Moss (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) with its companion atlas; Hematology in Clinical Practice, 5th edition, Hillman et al.(McGraw-Hill, 2011). For clinical pathology, I would recommend instead standard laboratory medicine textbooks Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods, 22nd edition, McPherson and Pincus (Elsevier, 2011); Clinical Laboratory Medicine, 2nd edition, McClatchey et al. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002, now out of print). If laboratory technical detail is desired, I'd recommend laboratory hematology books like Clinical Hematology and Fundamentals of Hemostasis, 5th edition, Harmening (F. A. Davis, 2008); Clinical Hematology: Theory and Procedures, 5th edition, Turgeon (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2012); or Hematology: Clinical Principles and Applications, 4th edition, Rodak et al. (Elsevier, 2012).

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Valerie L. Ng, PhD MD (Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)

Description: This is the second edition of a book addressing clinical and laboratory aspects of hematology (anemias, WBC disorders, coagulation disorders) and transfusion medicine. The first edition was published in 1998.

Purpose: The purpose is to address hematology and transfusion in a "concise and simplified manner." These worthy objectives are somewhat met by this edition.

Audience: The book is intended for medical and postgraduate students (pathology, medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology), but it is best suited for medical students and clinical laboratory scientists in training because the information is so elementary.

Features: This is truly a broad-based book that is unusual for laboratory medicine in that it covers diseases for which there are no associated laboratory tests [e.g., a chapter on "bleeding disorders caused by abnormalities of blood vessels" (the vascular purpuras)]. A few unusual items. The author is based in India and the book includes specific diagnostic considerations not common in the United States -- for anemias related to infections to consider tuberculosis, malaria, kala-azar, HIV/AIDS, hookworm. Similarly, the transfusion section has a discussion of the use of donor whole blood, including "fresh" whole blood -- a discussion irrelevant in the U.S., as this blood product is usually not available. The book also includes a plethora of laboratory tests no longer in use in the U.S. (e.g., sucrose hemolysis, acidified serum, Ham's test, bleeding time, etc.), but perhaps they are still in use in India. A peculiarity of hematology books originating in India as well as here in the U.S. - hand-drawn pictures of RBC, WBC, or platelet abnormalities instead of conventional photomicrographs. The transfusion section simply skims highlights of this very complex field. A small gripe -- multiple versions of international guidelines are included when only the most recent one is valid and should be the only one cited (e.g., International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis guidelines on von Willebrand disease classification -- both the 1994 and 2006 versions are listed).

Assessment: This is a reasonable, basic book on hematology and transfusion and may be quite useful for medical practice in India. Its usefulness in the U.S. is questionable, however, given the liberal inclusion of laboratory tests no longer performed, disease states rarely encountered, and clinical practice uncommon to U.S. medicine.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Sapna Amin, MD (University of Kansas Medical Center)

Description: This concise book covers the interpretation and differential diagnoses of fine needle aspiration cytology from all major organ systems.

Purpose: The author has set out to provide a succinct, yet comprehensive, reference on fine needle aspiration cytology for both residents and practicing pathologists.

Audience: This is an excellent resource for pathology residents during daily sign-out as it presents a concise description of the cytomorphology of each condition, reviews the diagnostic criteria, discusses potential pitfalls, and provides copious supplementary photographs. Experienced cytopathologists may find this book somewhat basic.

Features: The main focus is on cytomorphology and the book includes many great quality photos to supplement the text. Immunohistochemistry is only briefly discussed. Many summary tables throughout the book provide a quick outline of the text.

Assessment: While this book cannot compete with the comprehensiveness or authority of DeMay (The Art and Science of Cytopathology, 2nd edition (American Society for Clinical Pathology Press, 2012)) or Cibas and Ducatman (Cytology: Diagnostic Principles and Clinical Correlates, 3rd Edition (Elsevier, 2009)), it provides a succinct reference on all major conditions that a pathologist would encounter on fine needle aspiration

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Riad Barmada, MD (University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This book outlines the management of patients who come to the emergency room with orthopedic injuries.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide a reference for clinicians who are responsible for the initial treatment of patients with orthopedic injuries.

Audience: The intended audience includes emergency physicians, residents, and other emergency room personnel.

Features: The authors outline the initial management of patients with injuries involving the musculoskeletal system, the extremities, spine and pelvis, and provide information about emergency rooms in underdeveloped countries.

Assessment: Although this book provides information on emergency room management of patients with musculoskeletal injuries, it is not comprehensive and there are several other books available that provide more detailed discussions (e.g., Emergency Orthopedics, 6th edition, Simon and Sherman (McGraw-Hill, 2011)).

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Martin C. Yorath, DPM (Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science)

Description: "As its title implies, this book covers foot and ankle surgery. It follows a fairly traditional format for this type of book, initially covering foot and ankle anatomy, biomechanics, physical examination, and imaging, before proceeding through a fairly comprehensive range of foot and ankle disorders or conditions creating disorders in the foot and ankle, and their (primarily) surgical management, although nonsurgical management is also addressed for some."

Purpose: "Before purchasing this book, one had better have a clear understanding of its purpose. From reading the forewords (there are two), it is apparent that it is written primarily for the orthopedic foot and ankle community in Asia. However, Dr. Parekh also states that he hopes that the book will serve as a comprehensive reference while also serving to inspire those who might be contemplating a fellowship in orthopedic foot and ankle surgery."

Audience: "While the book may be aimed at a worldwide market, there are, frankly, stronger books, in both orthopedic and podiatric surgery, available in the U.S. Whether this one will attract a broad readership remains to be seen. Dr. Parekh is a fellowship-trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon of some national and international repute."

Features: "Logically laid out, the book starts with surgical anatomy, biomechanics, etc., and moves on to cover a fairly comprehensive range of foot and ankle disorders from a primarily surgical perspective over 25 chapters. Diagrams are excellent and references are pertinent. Most of the contributors are orthopedic surgeons. There is a chapter on toenail surgery written by podiatric surgeons, which is quite telling in itself. Given the book's wish to reach a broad market, it would have been nice to see a truly multispecialty contributorship, composed of both orthopedic and podiatric surgeons. There is a need for such a book, and it still does not exist, with both specialties favoring their own rather than collaborating. This was a lost opportunity."

Assessment: It is hard to see why another book on the subject of foot and ankle surgery is really necessary, particularly since this one offers little new. In fact, there are more comprehensive books available, in both orthopedics and podiatry, which do very well. Some of these are multivolume editions and are well known. The market for this book may well be overseas, where having one single "go-to" reference may be more attractive. I would say this book is of limited value as a reference in the U.S.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Patricia Wong, MD (Stanford University Medical Center)

Description: Hair transplantation techniques have improved tremendously over the past decade, and it is now possible to achieve natural looking results. The author carefully describes his techniques for appropriately evaluating and planning the placement of transplanted follicular units as well as potential common mistakes to avoid and complications that can arise. Many colour photographs illustrate the techniques and how to design the hair transplantation regions. He also shares his tips for managing patient expectations. There is a nice description of the advice he gives his patients in postoperative care.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide a thoughtful, thorough, clear discussion on how to perform hair transplantation with the latest and most effective surgical techniques.

Audience: The audience is physicians who perform hair transplantation as a large part of their practice.

Features: The author stresses the importance of correctly angling each follicle so the hairs grow out in a natural manner. This involves developing an experienced aesthetic eye. The book is replete with photographs demonstrating unnatural appearing hair growth due to poor graft orientation, accompanied by detailed discussions on how each case was rectified. The author gives excellent advice on how to perform an evaluation for potential hair transplantation and what to consider before recommending surgery, such as age, hair density, and psychological profile. He also imparts very helpful information on how to counsel patients for hair transplantation. The book comes with four CDs that demonstrate the surgical techniques.

Assessment: This is the best book I have encountered on this subject, although it still would be advisable to learn the surgery from an experienced hair transplantation surgeon rather than just reading the book. This is a valuable book for anyone who performs hair transplantation or is interested in offering it, and includes important guidance on how to counsel patients. Clearly, not everyone is a candidate for this surgery and, even if you do not perform the surgery, you will help your patients by being more knowledgeable and discerning whether it makes sense for them.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Roger Vernon Dietz, BS, MS, MD(University of Kansas Medical Center)

Description: This is an overview of the pathological interpretation of endometrial biopsies.

Purpose: The purpose is to help improve the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial biopsies. The book provides a nice overview of benign and malignant conditions as well as common diagnostic pitfalls.

Audience: Practicing pathologists are the primary audience, but residents may find it helpful as a concise reference.

Features: In reviewing endometrial pathology, the book covers hormonal changes, organic lesions, malignancies, and common pitfalls. The strongest features of the book are the pictures, which are high quality and plentiful.

Assessment: This is a useful quick reference covering most of the endometrial pathology that is encountered on a daily basis. Information is presented concisely, and helpful, quality pictures accompany almost every entity.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
K. P. Ravikrishnan, FRCP (C), FACP FCCP (William Beaumont Hospitals)

Description: This handbook features short reviews of 112 topics in pulmonary medicine written by over 130 authors.

Purpose: It is intended as an update and review of topics in pulmonary medicine of interest to clinicians and trainees.

Audience: The target audience includes pulmonary and critical care specialists taking care of patients, as well as residents, fellows-in-training, and paramedical personnel who can use it as a quick review.

Features: Although the book covers almost all relevant topics in pulmonary medicine, it is heavy on infectious diseases, especially tropical diseases. The descriptions of tropical diseases will be very useful for physicians taking of patients in a nonendemic area. The discussions of tuberculosis in particular are well researched and well written. Critical care topics receive special attention and are designed for quick reading. This book can serve as an initial resource for these topics, although it does not include references. The index is difficult to use and does not cover many topics in the book.

Assessment: Overall, this is an excellent reference. The editor in chief has done an excellent job of recruiting outstanding authors to contribute to this resource on pulmonary and critical care medicine.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Valerie L. Ng, PhD MD (Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)

Description: This is a compilation of hematopathology facts.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide an overview and study guide for medical students, residents, and fellows interested in or training in hematopathology.

Audience: The intended audience is medical students, residents, and fellows in hematology/hematopathology training.

Features: This is truly a useful study guide for all things hematology and hematopathology for the beginner. In its 405 pages, it covers a breath taking scope of material, moving quickly through disorders of RBCs, platelets, and coagulation to lymphoid disorders, leukemias, and lymphomas. The two final chapters focus on flow cytometry and molecular pathology. The author is true to his intent - this broad a scope in such a limited space necessitates conciseness, brevity, and relatively superficial coverage. Yes, each chapter is laden with key facts, but there is no further discussion, in-depth information, or references for those wishing to dig deeper. The color photomicrographs are of acceptable but not outstanding quality. The index has some surprising omissions -- for example, under the heading of "Factor,"FII, FV, and FX deficiencies are listed, but not FVIII or FIX; when searching under "hemophilia," there is only a single listing for hemophilia B. There are occasional typographical errors (e.g., p. 307, "associated" instead of "associated"). One nice feature is inclusion of 218 test questions, with accompanying photomicrographs as necessary, a really useful "just in time" study guide.

Assessment: I'd recommend this book if you are about to take your hematopathology or clinical hematology boards. Review it and if you know most of this information, you are probably adequately prepared.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Vanessa Carroll, MD(Ochsner Clinic Foundation)

Description: This is a valuable atlas with an extensive number of quality images with concise descriptions and management recommendations for pediatric conditions categorized into 22 encompassing specialties.

Purpose: The purpose is to demonstrate both common and rare pediatric conditions through more than 1,000 quality images with brief descriptions and suggestions for management. Designed for quick and easy use, the images and descriptions are alphabetically organized under 22 specialty sections. While it is modeled after the American Academy of Pediatrics' Atlas of Pediatrics in the Tropics and Resource-Limited Settings, Spector and Gibson (2009), it stands alone for its quality and brevity.

Audience: This atlas can benefit health professionals at varied levels of training who care for children. The images, text, and management suggestions may assist everyone from medical students to house officers, midlevel providers, and busy practicing physicians. The information is clearly conveyed and easily accessible. Each of the 22 specialty sections has been edited by experienced Indian opinion leaders in their respective fields.

Features: The 37 section editors have provided quality images with brief discussions in areas such as neonatology, infectious diseases, neurology, cardiology, genetics, pediatric surgery, and radiology. The breadth of coverage, the high-yield information, and the concise format makes this a valued atlas.

Assessment: Zitelli and Davis' Atlas of Pediatric Diagnoses, 6th edition, Zitelli et al. (Elsevier, 2012), is used by pediatricians and considered the premier atlas by many. The IAP Color Atlas does not have the depth of the Zitelli, but it addresses similar topics in a very concise manner. It deserves a spot on the pediatric bookshelf.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Riad Barmada, MD(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This book details advances in surgical technology to enable accurate and precise implantation of total knee arthroplasty components.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide information on the available technology to improve the precision of total knee surgical techniques.

Audience: The intended audience includes orthopedic surgeons and residents.

Features: The 26 chapters begin with basic and general information on knee alignment. The subsequent chapters are dedicated to the various techniques used to accomplish accurate implantation of prosthetic components. Illustrations and photos are of excellent quality.

Assessment: This is an outstanding publication that will be of interest to orthopedic surgeons who are involved in knee replacement surgery, in particular for knees with significant deformity.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Matthew D Wise, MD(University of Chicago Medical Center)

Description: This is an ambitious effort to survey the clinical spectrum of diabetes.

Purpose: The author aims to deliver a comprehensive diabetes resource and reference. With the growing prevalence of diabetes, developing new educational tools is useful.

Audience: The author is a ranking faculty member of a large medical institution in North India with years of educational, research, and administrative experience. He describes a targeted effort to educate patients, providers of care, and trainees, but the book appears most appropriate for healthcare providers and trainees.

Features: Each of the six chapters covers numerous succinct topics, generally in 2 to 3 paragraphs, on focused clinical facets of diabetes. Current concepts of diabetes classification and pathophysiology are well described, at a level of detail appropriate for clinicians. The book excels in the treatment sections, which highlight newer classes of diabetic oral agents and modern technology in the treatment of diabetes with insulin pumps and continuous-glucose monitoring devices. Very recent changes, such as the inclusion of hemoglobin A1C in the diagnostic criteria for diabetes, are not covered. The book is accompanied by a mini CD-ROM with the full set of images from the book organized by chapter. While there are some poor quality photos, most images are clear.

Assessment: Overall, this book serves as an easy-to-read and worthwhile review that efficiently describes broad aspects of diabetes. It achieves mixed success in aiming to appeal to both patients and providers, as the former might find many sections and concepts difficult to follow, while the latter may occasionally desire more detail.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
John C. Byrn, MD (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics)

Description: This is a collection of 10 DVDs chronicling the indications, patient preparation, and techniques of laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The videos load easily on any current operating system.

Purpose: The material is presented in individual DVDs that focus on a particular surgical procedure. This works very nicely, allowing the viewer to quickly find the crucial steps for any procedure. The objective of providing practicing surgeons and surgeons in training with a technical video reference of common laparoscopic colorectal procedures is easily met.

Audience: The intended audience includes practicing surgeons and surgeons in training, and the videos easily capture the crucial steps for both groups. While the author is not well known in the U.S., he is throughout India. Furthermore, the technique, as captured on the hours of video, illustrates an accomplished and technically excellent master surgeon.

Features: The videos chronicle the breadth of laparoscopic abdominal and pelvic procedures. The video installation is easily accomplished and navigation is smooth. The quality of the images and editing is excellent. The surgical technique is absolutely perfect in its illustration of the salient points of almost all laparoscopic colorectal procedures.

Assessment: I recommend this collection for anyone's surgical library. The ability to go quickly to a surgical procedure, by using the table of contents and multiple DVD formats, and finding high quality video of the salient points of a procedure is of tremendous value. Locating good video presenting examples of many different procedures in one spot is hard to come by.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Jeffrey Lowell, MD(Washington University School of Medicine)

Description: This is an overview of liver transplantation for senior-level residents or beginning fellows.

Purpose: From the history of transplantation to complications following transplant, this book accomplishes the authors' objectives of presenting a clear, concise synopsis.

Audience: The intended audience is current fellows in training, but the book is also appropriately written for general surgical residents rotating through transplantation as well as other healthcare providers participating in the care of transplant patients.

Features: What's nice about this book is that it covers nearly everything in transplant from preoperative evaluation to late complications, both medical and surgical.

Assessment: This book does a great job of filling the need for a comprehensive book for fellows or other care providers training in the field of transplantation. It provides an adequate overview without being too superficial.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Selim R Krim, MD (Ochsner Clinic Foundation)

Description: This is a very practical yet comprehensive book on three-dimensional echocardiography (3D echo) that also includes 3 DVDs.

Purpose: It is intended as a guide to the performance and interpretation of 3D echocardiography.

Audience: It is intended as a guide to the performance and interpretation of 3D echocardiography.

Features: The 11 chapters start with an introduction and overview of real-time 3D echo. The second chapter focuses on how to perform 3D echo. This chapter is particularly important as it provides a stepwise approach to 3D image acquisition with tips on how to optimize image quality. The remaining chapters highlight the usefulness of 3D echo (both transthoracic and transesophageal) in a variety of diseases including coronary artery disease, valvular disease, and congenital heart disease. Finally, a separate chapter is dedicated to the emerging role of 3D echo used to guide catheter-based interventions.

Assessment: This book will be of interest to cardiologists and physicians with a noninvasive imaging background. The accompanying DVDs add significant value.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Maura F. O'Neil, MD(University of Kansas Medical Center)

Description: The histopathologic as well as clinicopathologic features of ocular diseases are featured in this pathology book.

Purpose: It covers common and rare diseases of the eye and ocular adnexa, highlighting the salient histopathologic and clinical features of each disease. Because ocular pathology is such a highly specialized area of pathology, a book devoted to ocular pathology is a worthwhile endeavor.

Audience: The book boasts usefulness to residents in ophthalmology and pathology as well as to ophthalmic surgeons, clinicians, pathologists and oncologists.

Features: This brief review of ocular histopathology with clinicopathological correlation of common ocular lesions is divided into three parts. Part I focuses on processing the pathology specimens, while part II covers the most commonly encountered diseases and is divided into pathology of the lid, conjunctiva, cornea, lens, uvea, retina, and orbit. The final part briefly discusses cytopathology of the eye, AIDS-associated ocular disease, frozen sections, and telepathology. The most informative section is the first, which covers the fixation, grossing, and sectioning of ocular specimens. The tiny specimens that are common in this field present unique processing challenges and this section of the book is particularly useful. Admittedly, the book is meant to be an overview, but the depth with which each disease is covered is too shallow to be of much use to anyone actually practicing ocular medicine.

Assessment: In general, this is a succinct book for a very narrow area of pathology. The strengths of the book are the gross pictures and the clinical correlates.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Riad Barmada, MD(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This is a complete reference on total hip arthroplasty.

Purpose: It is designed as a comprehensive reference on total hip replacement that includes history, materials, techniques, design, and various surgical approaches.

Audience: The primary audience is orthopedic surgeons.

Features: The book starts with a review of basic knowledge about principles, design, materials, planning and implants selection, and detailed descriptions of all possible surgical approaches to the hip, with excellent quality illustrations and photographs. The various systems and devices for total and partial replacement are discussed, followed by detailed descriptions of surgical techniques for hip replacement for several conditions that produce bone deformity. The last few chapters are dedicated to management of infection, periprosthetic fractures, and the role of robotic navigation

Assessment: In the last 20 years, many books have been published on total hip replacement. This one is more comprehensive, more inclusive, and very well written with outstanding illustrations. It is an excellent reference on this topic and would be of help to orthopedic surgeons and others interested in hip replacement arthroplasty.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Mark R Hutchinson, MD(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This is an efficient technical guide designed as a timely, easy to use, concise, and accurate how-to reference for orthopedic surgeons and residents in training who wish to attack a broad range of challenges in total knee arthroplasty ranging from simple

Purpose: As noted in the preface by Dr. Malhotra, the goal of book is succinctly described in its title: to help readers in mastering the various techniques necessary to be successful when performing total knee arthroplasty. The editor and his contributing authors have done a nice job of staying on task, providing a technical guide that begins with indications, but always walks readers through how to address the specific challenges difficult cases may present.

Audience: With any such technical guide, the audience is obviously surgeons who wish to perform or improve their techniques in total knee arthroplasty. This also would be a great reference for residents or fellows in training to read just before assisting on a complex case. The contributing authors, as Chit Ranawat notes in the foreword, are an impressive group from the Indian subcontinent.

Features: Most of the chapters in this efficient book target very specific topics in a mere 8 to 12 pages. Most begin with a historical introduction followed by a review of indications and contraindications. Preoperative planning and surgical technique are the key focus with good, high-quality images that assist readers in reproducing the techniques. Any book that is designed to be efficient carries the risk of not being thorough. However, the editor and authors have done a nice job in addressing this balance to make this a very user-friendly technical guide to total knee arthroplasty.

Assessment: If anything surprised me, it was Dr. Malhotra's claim that this book was the first of its kind. I would have to disagree, as there are numerous technical guides to total knee arthroplasty available. This one is excellent and carries the advantage of being current and efficient with wonderful, high quality photos. If I may preempt a potential prejudgment of this book as sharing only the Indian point of view, this is absolutely not the case. It addresses classic problems of total knee arthroplasty with fundamental thoughts that are universal. I give Dr. Malhotra and his colleagues sincere accolades for creating a wonderful, efficient technical guide for a variety of challenges in performing total knee arthroplasty.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Stefan G Kiessling, MD(University of Kentucky College of Medicine)

Description: Authored by experts in pediatric nephrology practicing in India and the United States, this is an update of an accessible textbook that covers all major clinical aspects of the field. Numerous figures and tables are well integrated into 26 structured chap

Purpose: The book continues to focus on the clinical aspects of normal and abnormal kidney function as well as diagnostic evaluation and treatment of clinical conditions. In contrast to other books in this field, this one uses a predominantly clinical approach, without getting lost in too much detail of nonclinical aspects that interested readers can find elsewhere.

Audience: Useful for clinicians at any level of expertise, the book has a broad target audience. Given its concise but comprehensive structure -- each chapter covers a specific topic -- it is a great resource for clinicians. As the editors note, the book does not focus on genetic and molecular aspects of disease that have not been introduced into the clinical arena. The wide range of topics makes it a useful tool for clinicians at a more senior level who want to quickly review a topic. Because of its easily accessible structure, patients and families seeking medical information also might find it useful.

Features: All essential topics in the field of pediatric nephrology are covered, including anatomy and physiology, renal replacement therapies and kidney transplantation. A minor disadvantage might be that the number of listed references, though very up to date, is small and not referenced directly within the text. Most of the 26 chapters highlight key points and all chapters are structured similarly to allow easy access to each topic.

Assessment: This book successfully accomplishes its goals. Along with the other major textbooks in this field, Pediatric Nephrology, 6th edition, by Avner et al. (Springer, 2009) and Comprehensive Pediatric Nephrology, by Geary and Schaefer (Elsevier, 2008), this new edition will continue to be a widely used resource for students, clinicians, and patients.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Amit Prasad, MD(Ochsner Clinic Foundation)

Description: This book reviews several aspects of rheumatic mitral stenosis and describes in detail the procedure of balloon mitral valvotomy.

Purpose: It is intended as a review of rheumatic mitral stenosis and a handbook for those performing balloon mitral valvotomy.

Audience: Those actively engaged in the care of patients with mitral stenosis will find this book a useful resource. For noninvasive cardiologists, it provides a very easy to read introduction to the management of mitral stenosis and indications for percutaneous intervention. For invasive cardiologists, it provides a detailed reference for balloon mitral valvotomy. It is intended for students, physicians in training, and clinicians. Most will use this handbook as a reference, reading certain sections for updates on specific topics.

Features: The 50 chapters cover various aspects of mitral stenosis including pathophysiology, pre-intervention assessment, technical considerations during balloon valvotomy, and outcomes following intervention. The chapters are written primarily by practitioners in the developing world who frequently treat patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Each chapter is organized differently, and the quality of writing varies significantly from chapter to chapter. The broad scope of this book, which covers every aspect of mitral stenosis and describes in meticulous detail the techniques and equipment used in mitral valvotomy, are the primary strengths of this book. The accompanying DVD also has a wealth of information, containing step-by-step films from actual cases.

Assessment: This is an extensively researched book with useful tips on the use of percutaneous mitral valvotomy in mitral stenosis.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Thomas Philip Bravo, MD(Mayo Clinic Arizona)

Description: This pragmatic, pocket-sized guide to the neurologic examination is organized by the major components of the exam and includes helpful diagrams to assist in localization.

Purpose: The author's goal is teach exam techniques in a straightforward manner that is detailed enough to assist in accurate localization of a lesion within the neuroaxis while remaining clinically relevant and accessible to general practitioners, medical students, or training neurologists. Given the degree of "neurophobia" and the growing importance of correctly recognizing increasingly treatable neurological diseases, this is a worthy goal. The author covers this topic in a balanced manner and has produced a very helpful pocket guide to the neurological exam.

Audience: The book is written for non-neurologists and directed primarily at medical students, with an additional audience of general practitioners. It is appropriate for medical students and junior neurology residents as a teaching guide and reference source, but it may be too detailed for the average busy general practitioner.

Features: The book first covers the salient points of the neurological history and then systematically details the examination techniques, including how they localize pathology. It takes a logical top down approach and each chapter begins with an anatomy review and ends with a summary of the system. Each chapter contains helpful diagrams and summary tables which are very useful for reference. Also includes are chapters on two specific clinical settings: the coma exam and stroke evaluation. While the coma chapter covers the evaluation well, the stroke chapter did not include the NIH stroke scale, which is an indispensable tool in this patient population. With that exception, the book covers the neurological examination in a succinct manner.

Assessment: This is a useful, easy-to-reference, clinically focused pocket book for medical students or junior neurology residents. It is comparatively compact as compared to other student-centered guides, yet covers the same general material thoroughly.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Steve Paschos, MD (Rush University Medical Center)

Description: Part of the Pocket Tutor series, this book provides essential clinical information on psychiatry in an efficient, organized fashion.

Purpose: It is designed to be a quick reference/clinical guide to psychiatry, which the authors describe as sometimes being perceived as a "Cinderella" specialty.

Audience: The book is intended for medical students and junior doctors.

Features: Initial chapters on first principles cover the general topics of patient assessment and managing concepts. Clinical chapters cover key disorders and include patient scenarios and practical advice. A final chapter covers important legal aspects of psychiatry. Excellent tables and boxes in the margins labeled "Guiding Principles" help reinforce key concepts. Simple figures help readers conceptualize basic principles. In keeping with the goal of being a pocket guide, the book makes excellent use of bold print and bullet-point lists to present the material in a combination of narrative and key points. "Clinical Insights" boxes in the margins provide a bridge for the information from the academic to the clinical setting.

Assessment: This book provides a thorough assessment of key topics and clinical scenarios for students, psychiatry residents, and junior clinicians in the field of psychiatry. The simple yet excellent tables, bullet-point lists, and figures assist in the consolidation of key information. The boxes in the margins on "Clinical Insights" and "Guiding Principles" are particularly helpful in reinforcing information and bridging the material to the clinical setting for medical students or new psychiatry residents. It's the perfect size to fit in a white coat pocket, and the high-grade paper stock lends itself to note-taking.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
David B. Glick, MD, MBA(University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine)

Description: This overview of surgical airways for anesthesiologists includes detailed descriptions of insertion techniques for the commonly used percutaneous tracheostomy kits.

Purpose: The purpose is to familiarize intensivists with the insertion techniques and management of percutaneous tracheostomies. This worthy objective is reasonably well met by the book's invited authors.

Audience: The book is written for anesthesiologists, intensivists, internists, chest physicians, ENTs, and anyone else who manages patients who require tracheostomies.

Features: In addition to background information on the uses and indications for tracheostomies, the book has an overview of the relevant surgical anatomy.

Assessment: The topic of this book is an important one and the figures and layout are very good, for the most part. A thorough editing would be helpful for any subsequent edition.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Paul J Casella, MFA, AB (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine)

Description: As subtitled, this is indeed a practical guide to scientific writing. The book is organized in a straightforward way, from its overall approach to clear and effective writing and publishing strategies to the advice and examples that accommodate readers who wish to dip into specific chapters for particular pearls of wisdom. Over a dozen different contributors and chapter co-authors provide a range of perspectives.

Purpose: The purpose is to demystify the writing and submission process with practical strategies to produce clear and effective articles for academic scientific journals. Although many similar books have appeared over the decades with this purpose -- the gold standard is Edward Huth's Writing and Publishing in Medicine, 3rd edition (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1999) -- this is still a worthy purpose. The book meets the author's objectives, particularly in the variety of examples he provides at the end of each chapter.

Audience: The book is written for students to professors of health sciences, and everyone in between. Practitioners interested in opportunities in translational science and collaborative approaches to science also would benefit from the advice and examples in this book. A wide range of clinical specialties and areas of scientific inquiry is represented.

Features: Any book about scientific writing needs to address both how to think clearly and how to convey that thinking to readers, and this book accomplishes that mission with its focus on the reasoning in a scientific paper. It also addresses the ethical considerations in science as well as in publishing, again offering practical advice on how to secure permissions, on what material needs to be cited, and on how to cite it. The book effectively uses tables, flow charts, and figures to convey information as well to demonstrate their use in scientific writing.

Assessment: "Although the information and strategies in this book are not ground breaking or innovative, I admire it for its practical approach, its broad group of contributors, its question-and-answer format in places, its concise chapters and good use of subheadings, and, most importantly, its generous use of writing samples that will help guide aspiring authors in their own writing. In this, in particular, this book stands out from the crowd "

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Katrina Chaung, MD (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

Description: Given the scope and amount of recent research and progress in otolaryngology, the authors present recent advances and current treatment options in the field.

Purpose: The purpose is to describe recent advances in otolaryngology, including diagnostic resources and surgical modalities. A resource such as this is a very helpful adjunct to otolaryngologists' basic armamentarium of literature as it highlights progress in areas to guide further study. This book, while not delving into the complexities of each subject, succeeds in summarizing recent advances in the field.

Audience: It is geared toward training or practicing otolaryngologists who already have a knowledge base in this area. The material in this book builds on this knowledge base to summarize recent improvements, advances, and trends in these areas. The authors are well attuned to this goal and have highlighted the important aspects of each subject.

Features: The book covers recent relevant topics in all the subspecialties of otolaryngology. Each chapter begins with a short summary overview of a topic and what recent advances make it relevant to the book. The pictures and tables are high quality and helpful, but some surgical pictures could be enhanced with labeling on the actual picture in addition to the caption explanations.

Assessment: With the understanding that this is an adjunct to the more in-depth literature base in otolaryngology, the book does a good job of highlighting and summarizing recent trends and advances. The discussions provide a good direction for further study and research. An annual update would be a very helpful tool for both training and practicing otolaryngologists.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Mark R Hutchinson, MD (University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)

Description: This book efficiently presents the full breadth of rotator cuff injuries covering foundational anatomy and pathophysiology to specific interventions, including cutting-edge concepts in surgical technique debates and the use of platelet rich plasma.

Purpose: The editors have brought together an international collection of experts to discuss the full range of rotator cuff disorders. Dr. Maffulli is a trusted, world-renowned expert on tendon injuries such as cuff disease. The contributing authors are an impressive group that provides great perspectives, leaving readers with a great many pearls.

Audience: The book is clearly targeted at orthopedic surgeons and musculoskeletal specialists who care for patients with shoulder problems, especially those with rotator cuff disease. Dr. McFarland provides a wonderful overview of the pros and cons of various components of the physical exam which will be helpful to even our nonsurgical colleagues.

Features: The greatest attribute of this book is its efficiency. Each chapter is focused and concise, allowing readers to get right to the point and move on to the next section. The line drawings are colorful, but probably could be even more real-life in appearance. Admittedly this is probably a personal preference and the images in the book do provide a solid foundation.

Assessment: There are a great many books on shoulder problems and rotator cuff disease. The advantage this one has is its efficient and concise design as well as the wonderful collection of experts from around the world who share their insights.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Rebecca L Brown, MD(University of Chicago Medical Center)

Description: This two-volume comprehensive guide to diabetes care in India is published by the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India, an organization dedicated to promoting academics and research on this disease in that country. This is a revision of a s

Purpose: The purpose is to provide comprehensive information about all aspects of diabetes to healthcare professionals who work in India and surrounding areas. Given that the editors write that India has emerged as the country with the highest number of patients with diabetes, this is indeed a worthwhile objective.

Audience: This book is appropriate for general practitioners, academicians, clinical researchers, and subspecialists who study diabetes or care for patients with diabetes. The authors are credible authorities.

Features: The book covers the gamut of diabetes care including history, diagnosis, and management. Perhaps most interesting are the chapters focused on the epidemiology of diabetes in India, malnutrition-modulated diabetes, and fibrocalculous, pancreatic diabetes. It also addresses yoga and alternative medicine in diabetes care. This book is less appropriate for healthcare practitioners outside of India.

Assessment: This will be useful for healthcare providers who practice in India and surrounding areas. This revised second edition was published due to heavy demand for the initial second edition, illustrating its clinical need.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Jennifer R Decker, M.D. (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

Description: This systematic overview of sinonasal tumors, both benign and malignant, provides an update on management and approaches, particularly endoscopic. It nicely notes that additional advances are likely in the changing field of endoscopic sinus surgery tumor management.

Purpose: This book details types of sinonasal tumors and current management strategies. The authors' purpose is to provide a modern, state-of-the-art approach to both endoscopic and radical excisions of difficult-to-treat tumors. This is needed as the management principles of sinonasal tumors are changing, moving from extensive en bloc craniofacial resections to endoscopic or endoscopic-assisted resections. The book does a good job of addressing these management decisions.

Audience: It is addressed to otolaryngologists and neurosurgeons subspecializing in rhinology and skull base tumors. Residents and fellows in otolaryngology also will benefit as management of these rare tumors has been changing. The authors are all well known rhinology or skull base otolaryngologists or neurosurgeons at major teaching hospitals throughout the U.S. Of note, the primary authors trained with the same mentors at the same institution. While this is one of the premier centers for skull base surgery, the opinions and approaches may reflect this similar training.

Features: The book develops the history of sinonasal tumor management, radiology, surgical approaches, and nonsurgical treatments of cancers, and topics that are currently being developed or debated in the field. One unusual feature is that the chapters detailing the types of benign and malignant tumors are listed at the end of the book. It seems more logical to list the history, radiology, then tumor types, followed by surgical approaches, nonsurgical treatments, with surgical debates at the end. Radiological and operative pictures are very clear and add much to the book's value. Some of the medical illustrations, particularly of surface anatomy, are more artistic than anatomical.

Assessment: This is a high-quality book and useful update in a field that is consistently changing. Other books in this field are outdated and describe approaches and management not typically used in the modern high-definition endoscopic era. Rhinologists will benefit from this book when dealing with sinonasal tumors.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Jeffrey S. Rosenthal, MD(Bridgeport Hospital)

Description: This book describes the bony architecture of the face and how it influences the overlying soft tissues before delving into the planning options and repair techniques for maxillofacial deformities.

Purpose: Dr. Mani and his coauthors elucidate surgical techniques that have been beneficial and reproducible for the correction of complex facial deformities.

Audience: The author, a maxillofacial surgeon, has volumes of experience and wished to impart his knowledge to fledgling surgeons as well as to those practicing facial esthetic surgery.

Features: Commencing with the evolution of the face and the identification of facial beauty, the book then goes into the origins of facial deformities. The ensuing chapters target anatomy, anesthesia, cleft lip and palate repairs, facial asymmetries, surgical manipulation of the facial skeleton, rhinoplasty orthographic surgery, and various accompanying procedures to support or reshape the facial bony structures. The book is resplendent with diagrams, charts, and smatterings of intraoperative photographs. The author has spent many years to develop a book to impart to his successors the understanding of how to care for facial deformities.

Assessment: This is not a standalone book on the treatment of complex injuries to the face, but rather an excellent primer for those who require an overall understanding of the subject and for those who seek to become better acquainted with this area of expertise.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Ramsis Farid Ghaly, MD, FACS(Ghaly Neurosurgical Associates)

Description: From the Spine and Peripheral Nerve section of the World Federation of Neurological Societies (WFNS), this book covers the basics and surgical management of cervical disc herniation.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide a comprehensive international review of various aspects of the management of cervical disk herniation, including the basics in anatomy, biomechanics, and conventional and newer surgical techniques.

Audience: The audience is broad, including medical students, residents and fellows, physicians, and surgeons in neurosurgery, neurology, neuroradiology, neuroscience and primary care.

Features: The book provides a wide base of knowledge, from the basics such as applied anatomy and cervical spine biomechanics, to cervical disc pathology and genetic susceptibility, to various surgical approaches. For the latter, it covers indications, surgical steps, management of complications, complication avoidance, and outcomes. It covers both anterior and posterior approaches to the cervical spine including cervical microscopic discectomy, bone and cage placement, instrumented fusion, corpectomy, foraminotomy, laminectomy, and laminoplasty. Newer techniques include artificial cervical disc replacement, endoscopic techniques, laminoplasty, and oblique corpectomy. Controversial topics also are addressed, including fusion versus no fusion, types of fusion, and materials used. Readers can take advantage of valuable lessons learned from these experts and their long-term series outcomes and personal experiences.

Chapters are well written with section headings, many informative diagrams, color illustrations, tables, and figures, and end with conclusions and updated lists of references.

Assessment: The international experts from the WFNS provide a well-written reference on cervical disc herniation principles, pathophysiology, surgical management, and outcomes. The authors share their long term series outcomes and personal experiences. In a global world, the book brings international expertise to the table and complements existing books on the subject.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Christopher B Chambers, MD(Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

Description: This book provides good descriptions and illustrations of pediatric ophthalmic surgical procedures, as well as preoperative and postoperative evaluation pearls.

Purpose: The purpose is to explain various surgical techniques and steps in the field of pediatric ophthalmology.

Audience: Residents, fellows, or practitioners looking to improve their surgical knowledge are the intended audience. It will be a good source for young physicians and practicing physicians looking to add techniques and procedures to their surgical scope. The authors are ophthalmologists who perform these surgeries.

Features: The book explains widely accepted as well as new surgical techniques and approaches. It discusses evaluation and management of anterior segment and posterior segment surgeries as well as issues such as bilateral surgery for pediatric patients in addition to biaxial surgery. It touches on glaucoma management and surgery as well as strabismus surgery. It also discusses orbital and nasolacrimal disease evaluation and management in addition to uveitis, retinal tumors, and disease. This book is a good reference, but it does not go into extreme detail for each individual topic.

Assessment: This is a good reference that addresses a multitude of topics in general and pediatric ophthalmology. It will prove useful for residents, fellows, and practicing physicians.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Tariq M. Malik, MD (University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine)

Description: This comprehensive yet practical textbook on chronic pain management addresses pain issues as they are faced by practitioners in real life situations, covering a wide variety of topics in a succinct way.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide a practical reference for the evaluation of chronic pain patients. Instead of discussing disease management, the book uses a symptom-based management approach.

Audience: The book will be most appreciated by pain fellows and physicians who see patients with chronic pain complaints on a regular basis, i.e. primary care physicians or emergency room physicians, rather than pain practitioners. The experienced authors place great emphasis on the clinical aspects of pain management.

Features: The initial sections cover the clinical evaluation of a patient, with a discussion of imaging and electrodiagnostic studies. Common etiologies of back and neck pain are covered in detail in separate chapters. Other chapters cover common pain syndromes arising from different cancers and pain conditions such as postsurgical pain, phantom pain, CRPS, and postherpetic neuralgia. The final sections are devoted to physiotherapy, psychotherapy, and nontraditional pain management modalities. Chapters use a standard format to cover the topics in a systematic fashion in just a few pages, describing epidemiology, clinical features, pathophysiology, investigational studies needed, and evidence-based management. The initial sections on the clinical evaluation of patients (history taking and the physical exam, use of MRI, X-rays, and CT studies) are the best part of the book. No other book I have read covers these topics so wonderfully. However, it does not go in detail on procedural techniques or pharmacology. A discussion of pharmacology along the same practical lines of the rest of the book would have greatly helped this book's stature.

Assessment: Overall, this is an excellent pain book full of practical evaluation and management tips. Definitely a must read for pain fellows, and many other physicians also would find it a helpful addition to their office library.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Tariq M. Malik, MD(University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine)

Description: This postgraduate anesthesia book is a unique combination of human physiology and clinical science.

Purpose: The book is intended as one-stop source of information for physicians taking anesthesia board examinations. This goal is met to a certain degree depending upon which examination readers are taking.

Audience: The target audience includes trainee or resident anesthesiologists and anesthesiologists taking their board examinations. It's also a nice book for those taking recertification examinations. The author is an experienced anesthesiologist who has distilled his clinical experience for this book.

Features: The 49 chapters cover every aspect of anesthesia and, broadly speaking, the book is divided into two parts, with the first half on basic science aspects and pharmacology and the second half on clinical topics. The first part covers the pharmacology of all anesthetics and related drugs, anesthesia equipment, the physiology of the cardiovascular system and respiratory system, water and electrolyte balance, and acid-base balance. The second part of the book has chapters on airway management, anesthesia monitors, and a discussion of regional anesthesia, both peripheral and central, before moving into anesthesia for different organ systems like cardiac anesthesia, obstetric anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, ENT anesthesia, etc. Nothing is left out, as the book includes discussions of anesthesia for laparoscopic surgery, remote location anesthesia, and ambulatory anesthesia. Chapters have plenty of tables and "Fact File" boxes to highlight important points and plenty of pictures to supplement the text. The book is comprehensive in its breadth but at times lacks depth.There are no references for readers who wish to explore a topic more thoroughly. Even though the book focuses on postgraduate examinations, there are no questions and answers at the end of chapters for readers to test their knowledge or review salient points of a topic. Providing these features in a future edition as a supplement to the book either in print format or online would be a welcome step.

Assessment: This book is quite comprehensive yet succinct in its coverage of the field of anesthesia. It stresses basic sciences, especially physiology, which is the very foundation of anesthesia. Although clinical topics are covered in limited detail, they are discussed in sufficient depth to clearly state the guiding principles of practice. A very good effort indeed.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Amit Keswani, MD (Ochsner Clinic Foundation)

Description: This book reviews how to interpret electrocardiograms.

Purpose: It is designed for healthcare professionals seeking to improve their fundamental interpretation and understanding of ECGs.

Audience: This book will be of interest to medical students, physician assistants, nurses, physicians in training, cardiology fellows, and practicing physicians involved in ECG interpretation.

Features: After an introduction to the fundamentals of electrocardiography, the chapters are divided into sections covering physiology, chamber evaluation, conduction defects, stress electrocardiography, ambulatory electrocardiography, and commonly encountered cardiac rhythms, as well as other clinical disorders. Each section also suggests further reading with references.

Assessment: This is a thorough and detailed review of the interpretation of electrocardiograms that will benefit all healthcare professionals

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Bruce A. Fenderson, PhD(Thomas Jefferson University)

Description: Histology provides an essential foundation for clinical medicine. Students learn how human organs are constructed at the cellular level, and appreciate that cell injury constitutes the basis of disease. This knowledge enables medical practitioners to accu

Purpose: According to the author, the aim is to help students recognize the key features of human tissues and succeed on course and board examinations.

Audience: It is written for students of medicine, dentistry, and the allied health professions (e.g., nursing, physical therapy, cytopathology, and laboratory medicine). It also would serve as a wonderful guide for premedical undergraduates.

Features: The book is colorful and student-friendly. The larger size font makes it easy to read. The first portion of the book is an atlas and practical guide. Here, photomicrographs and elegant hand-drawn illustrations are arranged based on similarity of appearance (e.g., organs consisting of acini or alveoli). The 23 chapters cover all major organ systems in the body (from the female reproductive organs to the spinal cord and cerebral cortex). The first nine chapters introduce students to various cell types and tissues (e.g., bone, glandular epithelium, cartilage). The full-color figures and illustrations are outstanding. Many illustrations are outstanding hand-drawn reproductions of original photomicrographs. Thus, complex specimens are refined and interpreted by an expert histologist and medical educator. This approach provides beginning students with clarity and guidance. The images are fully annotated. Keywords are highlighted in bold. Prominent boxes display clinically relevant information for advanced students.

Assessment: This is a wonderful microscopic anatomy book. The writing is concise, yet comprehensive. The photomicrographs and drawings are excellent. The author understands the subject very well and focuses readers' attention on high-yield information. All of the material is of human origin. The detailed annotations are referenced and described in the text, which encourages students to read the text, rather than simply scan figures and legends. If I were a medical student and wanted to get a head start on my histology course, I would read this book.

Ratings:

(4 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Ramsis Farid Ghaly, MD, FACS(Ghaly Neurosurgical Associates)

Description: This update of a comprehensive textbook of neurological surgery adds 100 chapters covering recent advances in anatomy, physiology, and differential diagnosis and contains hundreds of color and black-and-white illustrations, tables, images, and diagrams.

Purpose: The purpose is to provide comprehensive, detailed, up-to-date, and clinically oriented coverage of all aspects of neurosurgery.

Audience: The audience is adult and pediatric neurosurgeons as well as general and ENT surgeons, neurologists, neuroradiologists, and neuroscientists. The authors and the majority of the contributors are from India.

Features: The detailed chapters are grouped into 18 sections that cover the history of neurosurgery, diagnostics, congenital, head injuries, spinal injuries, peripheral nerve, infections, vascular disorders, tumors of the spine and spinal cord, spinal disc disease and other spinal pathologies, pathology of intracranial tumors, cranial and intracranial tumors A and B, skull base surgery, stereotaxy, pain, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and miscellaneous topics such as anesthesia, positioning, operating room setup, instrumentation, and navigation.

Assessment: This book is well written and organized and takes readers step-by-step through each topic, covering the history, medical, diagnostic, pathological, and surgical treatment, and outcome. Because the authors and a majority of the contributors are from India, the book covers neurosurgical disorders, both common and uncommon, seen in this region of the world. Readers, therefore, can compare this book with other textbooks in neurosurgery written by authors from other regions of the world to globalize their understanding and management.

This update is a great accomplishment for the authors and the contributors.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
David J. Dries, MD(University of Minnesota Medical School)

Description: This is a comprehensive two-volume textbook of pulmonary and critical care medicine authored and edited by specialists based in the Indian subcontinent.

Purpose: This work comes in response to the need for teaching and training materials with an emphasis on respiratory problems and therapy in the Third World (and particularly India). The book focuses on regional pulmonary medicine with an emphasis on tuberculosis, other pulmonary infections, and environmental diseases.

Audience: Fellows, other senior trainees, and senior practitioners, particularly those in programs training pulmonary and critical care medicine specialists, are an appropriate audience.

Features: An attractive work, this two-volume set includes 173 chapters in its 2,200 pages. The majority of topics are in basic pulmonary medicine and important pulmonary infections. Multiple chapters review pulmonary radiographs including CT, nuclear imaging, bronchoscopy, and thoracoscopy. The respiratory focus predominates, and there is a relatively modest discussion of critical care.

Assessment: This is a compilation of data and clinical insight, but readers must be aware of the focus on India and Third World respiratory conditions. Coverage of tuberculosis and pulmonary disease as seen in the developing world is very good. Readers from Western Europe or the United States may find gaps in presentation.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)

REVIEWER'S EXPERT OPINION
Rajen U. Desai, MD(Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)

Description: This book presents a survey of a variety of ocular conditions organized in three parts. The first chapter, "Overview of Symptoms, Signs, and Tests," presents an easy-to-understand survey of exactly what it intends; subsequent chapters are organized by the

Purpose: According to the preface, the purpose of the book is twofold: to be a 1) "preferred, first-line clinical 'quick-look-up'" and an 2) after-hours "slow-relaxed-review" for "practicing eye care providers." The first is indeed appropriate for eyecare providers at any level of training, while the latter is perhaps more relevant for novices. The book meets both of these objectives, mostly for an audience of eyecare providers with limited training, specifically optometrists, primary care providers, and medical students. The book is slightly too simple for ophthalmology residents.

Audience: The author describes the audience as "eye care providers and all involved in, or interested in, the management of ocular diseases," but it seems most suitable for optometrists, medical students, and primary care providers. It may not be as useful as other books whose audience is ophthalmologists.

Features: A significant strength of this book is the large number of quality color photographs, illustrations, and schematics. Similar books also use photographs, but this book's illustrations make the concepts more understandable for beginning eyecare providers. Also, under most of the conditions, there is a very clear statement of "Ocular Emergency: Yes" or "Ocular Emergency: No."Again, this is very helpful for eyecare providers early in their training. These two features, particularly the illustrations, give the book a distinct advantage over other similar books. Shortcomings of the book include the slightly simple presentations of the work-up and management aspects of each disease. For instance, while the section on eyelid laceration has helpful illustrations of surgical closure, there is no mention of which suture material should be used for the various layers of the eyelid closure

Assessment: This book, with its helpful illustrations and photographs of eye diseases, would be a valuable addition for many eyecare providers. Compared to similar books that present more text-heavy advanced management aspects of eye care, this manual likely would be most appreciated by optometrists, primary care providers, and beginners in ophthalmology such as medical students and beginning residents.

Ratings:

(3 Stars)