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Brain Edema XII
474 Surg Neurol 2004;62:473– 475
Book Reviews
Brain Edema XII
solved. Consequently, reading the entire text could leave the surgeon confused. Also, the chapter on indications is written by two residents in training and the director of spine research at a well known institution, but does not list any of the psychological issues that cause chronic low back pain and that would not respond to fusion. Those issues are referred to with one-liners in a couple of the other chapters. The decision to fuse is reflected as regularly based on “concordant” pain during discography, a heatedly controversial issue, as is even the decision to fuse the low back in the first place.
T. Kuroiwa, A. Baethmann, Z. Czernicki, J.T. Hoff, U. Ito, A. Marmarou, A.D. Mendelow and H.-J. Reulem, eds. Wien: Springer-Verlag, 2004 ISBN 3-211-00919-1; 609 pp; Eur 178-/ Rating: 多多多 Recommended Audience: Neurosurgeons, neurologists, intensivists, scientists researching head injury mechanisms
This 609 page supplement of Acta Neurochirurgica is the compilation of the papers presented at the 12th International Symposium on Brain Edema and Brain Tissue Injury held November 10 –13, 2002 in Hakone Japan. The book is divided into sections dealing with a general review of the field, imaging, experimental global and focal ischemia, clinical ischemia, experimental and clinical trauma, spinal cord trauma, intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage, hydrocephalus and the blood brain barrier. The information will be a good summary of the Symposium for those who attended. The first six papers are excellent summary articles provided by the leaders in the field of brain edema and would be valuable reading for any clinician involved in the treatment of head injury. Christopher R. Honey, M.D., D.Phil. Vancouver, Canada doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2004.08.002
Lumbar Interbody Fusion Techniques: Cages Dowels and Grafts R. Haid, R.G. Fessler, and M.R. McLaughlin, eds. St. Louis: Quality Medical Publishing, Inc., 2001 ISBN 1-57686-121-2; 350 pp; $190. Rating: 多 多 Recommended Audience: Neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons
This is a well written and amply and clearly illustrated book, by expert authors, many of whom are notable in spine surgery circles, covers the gamut of techniques and internal fixation devices used for anterior and posterior lumbar fusion. If the reader is interested in knowing about each or any of such techniques, then this book is worthwhile. It does not, however, solve the issue of which devices or techniques are most appropriate under what circumstances and leads to some confusion over whether one should use cylindrical or tapered cages, cages with bone chips and fragments or blocks of bone threaded dowels, rectangular spacers or round ones. In one chapter the posterior interbody fusion is eschewed as destabilizing, whereas in another it is touted as the procedure of choice. The issue of anterior versus posterior versus both anterior and posterior fusion is not re-
Ron Pawl, M.D. Lake Forest, Illinois doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2004.08.076
Modern Anterior Scoliosis Surgery by Lawrence Lenke, Randall Betz and Jurgen Harms Missouri: Quality Medical Publishing, Inc., 2004 Recommended Audience: Neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, spine surgeons ISBN 1-57626-134-4; 750 pp; 565 illustrations; $275. Rating: 多多多
The editors have put together an outstanding panel of authors for this book on modern anterior scoliosis surgery. Indeed, the title is somewhat limiting: while the focus clearly is on anterior surgery, there is enough here about posterior treatment (and more importantly, principles of treatment) to make this a very valuable book. The chapter on biomechanics of scoliosis deformities is particularly noteworthy. It is an excellent summary of research in the area. The authors are to be congratulated. A chapter on the biomechanics of anterior column support is predominately clinical and is useful to the active clinician. Several subsequent chapters discuss preoperative evaluation and support. The chapter on spinal cord monitoring is very effective in summarizing current thinking in the area. Other contributing factors in patient management such as clinical/performance evaluation, nutrition, and imaging are essential for the individual contemplating treatment of patients with these complex three-dimensional disorders. The surgical descriptions are adequate. Certainly, there are atlases that have much more detailed drawings, and the surgical descriptions here should not be considered definitive. However, that does not appear to be the intent: a CD companion set on operative techniques was not included with this text. I suspect that it offers much more detailed surgical descriptions.
Book Reviews
Brain Edema XII
solved. Consequently, reading the entire text could leave the surgeon confused. Also, the chapter on indications is written by two residents in training and the director of spine research at a well known institution, but does not list any of the psychological issues that cause chronic low back pain and that would not respond to fusion. Those issues are referred to with one-liners in a couple of the other chapters. The decision to fuse is reflected as regularly based on “concordant” pain during discography, a heatedly controversial issue, as is even the decision to fuse the low back in the first place.
T. Kuroiwa, A. Baethmann, Z. Czernicki, J.T. Hoff, U. Ito, A. Marmarou, A.D. Mendelow and H.-J. Reulem, eds. Wien: Springer-Verlag, 2004 ISBN 3-211-00919-1; 609 pp; Eur 178-/ Rating: 多多多 Recommended Audience: Neurosurgeons, neurologists, intensivists, scientists researching head injury mechanisms
This 609 page supplement of Acta Neurochirurgica is the compilation of the papers presented at the 12th International Symposium on Brain Edema and Brain Tissue Injury held November 10 –13, 2002 in Hakone Japan. The book is divided into sections dealing with a general review of the field, imaging, experimental global and focal ischemia, clinical ischemia, experimental and clinical trauma, spinal cord trauma, intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage, hydrocephalus and the blood brain barrier. The information will be a good summary of the Symposium for those who attended. The first six papers are excellent summary articles provided by the leaders in the field of brain edema and would be valuable reading for any clinician involved in the treatment of head injury. Christopher R. Honey, M.D., D.Phil. Vancouver, Canada doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2004.08.002
Lumbar Interbody Fusion Techniques: Cages Dowels and Grafts R. Haid, R.G. Fessler, and M.R. McLaughlin, eds. St. Louis: Quality Medical Publishing, Inc., 2001 ISBN 1-57686-121-2; 350 pp; $190. Rating: 多 多 Recommended Audience: Neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons
This is a well written and amply and clearly illustrated book, by expert authors, many of whom are notable in spine surgery circles, covers the gamut of techniques and internal fixation devices used for anterior and posterior lumbar fusion. If the reader is interested in knowing about each or any of such techniques, then this book is worthwhile. It does not, however, solve the issue of which devices or techniques are most appropriate under what circumstances and leads to some confusion over whether one should use cylindrical or tapered cages, cages with bone chips and fragments or blocks of bone threaded dowels, rectangular spacers or round ones. In one chapter the posterior interbody fusion is eschewed as destabilizing, whereas in another it is touted as the procedure of choice. The issue of anterior versus posterior versus both anterior and posterior fusion is not re-
Ron Pawl, M.D. Lake Forest, Illinois doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2004.08.076
Modern Anterior Scoliosis Surgery by Lawrence Lenke, Randall Betz and Jurgen Harms Missouri: Quality Medical Publishing, Inc., 2004 Recommended Audience: Neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, spine surgeons ISBN 1-57626-134-4; 750 pp; 565 illustrations; $275. Rating: 多多多
The editors have put together an outstanding panel of authors for this book on modern anterior scoliosis surgery. Indeed, the title is somewhat limiting: while the focus clearly is on anterior surgery, there is enough here about posterior treatment (and more importantly, principles of treatment) to make this a very valuable book. The chapter on biomechanics of scoliosis deformities is particularly noteworthy. It is an excellent summary of research in the area. The authors are to be congratulated. A chapter on the biomechanics of anterior column support is predominately clinical and is useful to the active clinician. Several subsequent chapters discuss preoperative evaluation and support. The chapter on spinal cord monitoring is very effective in summarizing current thinking in the area. Other contributing factors in patient management such as clinical/performance evaluation, nutrition, and imaging are essential for the individual contemplating treatment of patients with these complex three-dimensional disorders. The surgical descriptions are adequate. Certainly, there are atlases that have much more detailed drawings, and the surgical descriptions here should not be considered definitive. However, that does not appear to be the intent: a CD companion set on operative techniques was not included with this text. I suspect that it offers much more detailed surgical descriptions.