- Email: [email protected]
Hand Pearls
Book reviews
Hand Pearls Matthew J. Concannon, Jack Hurov Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins ISBN: 1-56053-463-X Price: d30.00 49 Euros
Hand Secrets Peter J.L. Jebson, Morton L. Kasdan Lippincott Williams & Wilkins ISBN: 156053-464-8 Price 39.95, 40E
Hand Pearls is part of a series of books entitled ‘‘The Pearls Series’’. Essentially, there are a series of cases presented with a short history and a photograph (clinical or radiograph). Questions are posed and on the next page answers given as to the diagnosis and recommended treatment. This is supported by a series of references. There is a further section from the perspective of a hand therapist giving details of hand therapy options for the condition. There are a total of 64 cases, covering the majority of simple and some more complex trauma and elective conditions of the elbow, wrist and hand. There is no obvious missing topic, but the cases do not seem to be in any particular logical order. This perhaps makes for more interesting reading of the book overall, but consideration of a particular topic such as hand fractures or hand lacerations is more difficult. The book is easy to read with good diagrams and a simple limited number of references for further reading. By and large, the opinions given are sensible but by British standards perhaps a little aggressive. In particular, surgery was recommended for an anterior interosseous nerve palsy without waiting for spontaneous recovery, which typically occurs. The role of aspiration of dorsal wrist ganglia was dismissed. One barely displaced intra-articular fracture was fixed. Intervention was recommended for metacarpal neck fractures more commonly than would perhaps be the practice in the UK. That aside, this is an easily readable, well-presented book. I do not believe it will be in the first line of choices for any library but I believe there is a role for it. For the trainee, each case can be viewed as a test of their knowledge. If they knew the text well they would be well informed about much of hand surgery. The experienced hand surgeon would probably use this book as a way of testing trainees by presenting cases which are ready made. It also provides a way of discussing with the hand therapist various regimens of practice.
Hand Secrets has 45 chapters which have been written in question-and-answer format. Seventy-two surgeons have contributed this outstanding book which covers all aspects of the hand surgery. The book is easy to read and follow; one can either start at the beginning and read through the whole book or focus on specific chapters. This book is useful not only for students, interns, residents and fellows, but also for instructors and other clinical staff working in hospitals. Although, the book is well illustrated, some chapters would benefit from more descriptive illustrations; for instance, it is not easy to understand the location and shape of Grayson’s and Cleland’s ligaments from text. However in other places clear and good radiographs compliment the text. Although all the chapters have references at the end, it might be better if references were cited in the text. In pages 3 and 193, the same illustration for the zones of flexor injury is repeated and some points are also emphasized and mentioned more than once. For instance, the questions regarding local finger tip flaps are repeated on pages 211, 221 and 275, and others on Guyon’s canal are found on pages 2 and 238. Although some contributors provide short answers, others give detailed textbook knowledge. I particularly liked the problem-based questions and answers, as in the ‘‘Arthrodesis and Arthroplasty of the Hand and Wrist’’ chapter. Many other sections include this kind of questions and, in my opinion, trainers and trainee surgeons, particularly those interested in, and practising, hand surgery should purchase this book. Cihangir Tetik, MD Associate Professor Marmara University Hospital Istanbul, Turkey r 2003 The British Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. doi: 10.1054/jhsb.2002.0845, available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com
Grey Giddins, FRCS (Orth)
r 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The British Society for Surgery of the Hand. doi:10.1054/jhsb.2002.0853, available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com
98
Hand Pearls Matthew J. Concannon, Jack Hurov Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins ISBN: 1-56053-463-X Price: d30.00 49 Euros
Hand Secrets Peter J.L. Jebson, Morton L. Kasdan Lippincott Williams & Wilkins ISBN: 156053-464-8 Price 39.95, 40E
Hand Pearls is part of a series of books entitled ‘‘The Pearls Series’’. Essentially, there are a series of cases presented with a short history and a photograph (clinical or radiograph). Questions are posed and on the next page answers given as to the diagnosis and recommended treatment. This is supported by a series of references. There is a further section from the perspective of a hand therapist giving details of hand therapy options for the condition. There are a total of 64 cases, covering the majority of simple and some more complex trauma and elective conditions of the elbow, wrist and hand. There is no obvious missing topic, but the cases do not seem to be in any particular logical order. This perhaps makes for more interesting reading of the book overall, but consideration of a particular topic such as hand fractures or hand lacerations is more difficult. The book is easy to read with good diagrams and a simple limited number of references for further reading. By and large, the opinions given are sensible but by British standards perhaps a little aggressive. In particular, surgery was recommended for an anterior interosseous nerve palsy without waiting for spontaneous recovery, which typically occurs. The role of aspiration of dorsal wrist ganglia was dismissed. One barely displaced intra-articular fracture was fixed. Intervention was recommended for metacarpal neck fractures more commonly than would perhaps be the practice in the UK. That aside, this is an easily readable, well-presented book. I do not believe it will be in the first line of choices for any library but I believe there is a role for it. For the trainee, each case can be viewed as a test of their knowledge. If they knew the text well they would be well informed about much of hand surgery. The experienced hand surgeon would probably use this book as a way of testing trainees by presenting cases which are ready made. It also provides a way of discussing with the hand therapist various regimens of practice.
Hand Secrets has 45 chapters which have been written in question-and-answer format. Seventy-two surgeons have contributed this outstanding book which covers all aspects of the hand surgery. The book is easy to read and follow; one can either start at the beginning and read through the whole book or focus on specific chapters. This book is useful not only for students, interns, residents and fellows, but also for instructors and other clinical staff working in hospitals. Although, the book is well illustrated, some chapters would benefit from more descriptive illustrations; for instance, it is not easy to understand the location and shape of Grayson’s and Cleland’s ligaments from text. However in other places clear and good radiographs compliment the text. Although all the chapters have references at the end, it might be better if references were cited in the text. In pages 3 and 193, the same illustration for the zones of flexor injury is repeated and some points are also emphasized and mentioned more than once. For instance, the questions regarding local finger tip flaps are repeated on pages 211, 221 and 275, and others on Guyon’s canal are found on pages 2 and 238. Although some contributors provide short answers, others give detailed textbook knowledge. I particularly liked the problem-based questions and answers, as in the ‘‘Arthrodesis and Arthroplasty of the Hand and Wrist’’ chapter. Many other sections include this kind of questions and, in my opinion, trainers and trainee surgeons, particularly those interested in, and practising, hand surgery should purchase this book. Cihangir Tetik, MD Associate Professor Marmara University Hospital Istanbul, Turkey r 2003 The British Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. doi: 10.1054/jhsb.2002.0845, available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com
Grey Giddins, FRCS (Orth)
r 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The British Society for Surgery of the Hand. doi:10.1054/jhsb.2002.0853, available online at http://www.sciencedirect.com
98