Complications in vascular surgery, ed. 2

Complications in vascular surgery, ed. 2

BOOK REVIEWS George Johnson, Jr., M.D., Book Review Section Editor Vascular surgery John B. Chang, ed. Jamaica, N. Y., 1985, Spectrum Publications,...

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BOOK REVIEWS George Johnson, Jr., M.D., Book Review Section Editor

Vascular

surgery

John B. Chang, ed. Jamaica, N. Y., 1985, Spectrum Publications, Inc., 271 pages, $48.95. This survey of general vascular surgery published in 1985 was generated from a vascular symposium held two years earlier in New York. The editor stated that he intended to present a handbook illustrating state-of-the-art careof selectedproblems in vascular surgery. The goal was a commendable one, but the end result demonstrates too many failures in execution. Included among the 19 contributors to the symposium were a number of distinguished surgeons, persons eminently qualified to present the assigned material in a comprehensive, authoritative manner. Undoubtedly the symposium itself was excellent, but the follow-up publication is a mediocre contribution to the array of textbooks on vascular topics. The chapter subdivisions vary greatly in quality, format, and depth of presentation. Some are truly excellent summaries of current diagnosis and management of arterial disorders, but others seem to be little more than a direct reprinting of information from slidesused in the original presentations. Several sections that seem to have the greatest promise for the reader, on the basisof the known expertise of the author, are disappointing in their brevity and superficiality. By contrast, other sections are much more informative, presenting in-depth discussionsof pathophysiology, detailed treatment algorithms, pertinent outcome data, and extensive bibliographies. In one instance, only one side of a controversial therapeutic topic is presented, leaving the reader with an unbalanced view of the subject. Numerous typographic errors and a number of inferior quality illustrations and radiographs further detract from the general impression gained from this book. In a field of surgery so well served by timely, complete textbooks and monographs, one has difficulty determining the readership for which this text is best suited. Medical students and surgical house officers would Iind the better chapters to be instructive and well written; however, practicing surgeons will generally be disappointed in this book as a useful resource. Robert Emmy

B. Smith ILI, M.D. Univmity School of Medicine

Trauma

management:

Cervicothoracic

trauma,

vol. 3.

F. William Blaisdell and Donald D. Trunkey, eds. New York, 1986, Thieme Incorporated, 323 pages, $50.00. This text is the third volume of a multivolume work on the management of trauma edited by two distinguished authors, F. William Blaisdell, M.D., and Donald D. Trunkey, M.D. The authors, as they point out, have extensive experience in the treatment of trauma in their respective institutions. They freely admit to bias in their approach to

the problems of trauma; however, this bias does not detract from the importance of this book. The importance of this book to the vascularsurgeon lies in the extensivediscussion of injuries associatedwith disruption of major blood vessels in the chest and neck. The problems relating to the therapy of patients with multisystem injuries are of great importance. A large portion of the book is devoted to the general assessmentof the patient, particularly in reference to cardiopulmonary dysfunction, radiologic assessment,and the care of the patient in the emergency room. The strong emphasis in this book is the total patient care and the fact that rarely are isolated vascular injuries seen, particularly with penetrating trauma. The authors cover the major vascular disruptions well and describe their techniques and indications for revascularization of the carotid artery as well as the subclavian and innominate vessels.Some attention is directed towards exposure; however, the book lacks detail regarding the exposure of the very distal internal carotid artery and of the vertebral artery. Although these techniques have been described adequately in the current literature, in this text they have been specifically omitted; in addition, no referenceswere available as to how to obtain these exposures. This omission somewhat detracts from the completeness of this text. The occasional traumatic dissection of the internal carotid artery is not covered in the text. These items really do not detract significantly from this book, which should be in every surgeon’s library. This is particularly true of those vascular surgeons who are called on to treat traumatic disruptions of major vesselsin the chest and neck. William Unizmity

J. Fly, M.D. of Texas Health

Complications

Sciences Center

in vascular

surgery,

in Dallas

ed. 2

Victor M. Bernhard and Jonathan B. Towne, eds. Orlando, 1985, Grune & Stratton, Inc., 793 pages, $89.50. This is the second edition of a popular, multiauthored text considering a wide range of complications in vascular surgery. The contributions originated at a symposium held in the spring of 1985. The authors are well selected; all are experienced clinicians and most are recognized experts in their assignedtopics. The organization of the 46 chapters and the complete index allows rapid reference to specific problems. Chapters of particular interest in the field of peripheral occlusive diseaseinclude those relating to spinal cord ischemia occurring after aortic surgery, lower extremity amputations, and the care of the diabetic foot. A senior author, Dr. Bernhard, also provides a well-reasoned discussion of the management of late graft thromboses. The entire section devoted to renal revascularization (three 307

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Journal of VASCULAR SURGERY

Booklhiews

chapters) is particularly pertinent and up-to-date; diagnostic and surgical options are included along with a discussion of transluminal angioplasty complications. Cerebrovascular surgery is represented by a well-referenced critique of techniques of cerebrovascular protection during endarterectomy. The chapter on avoidance and recognition of cranial nerve injuries and baroreceptor dysfunction is conciseand useful. The authors have included several“basic science” contributions relating to anastomotic intimal hyperplasia and progressive atherosclerosis.In particular, the material on atherosclerosis seems somewhat dated, although the general theories of progression and regression of lesions are presented. An apparent weaknessof the text is the absenceof any consideration of anesthetic management and the newer techniques of intraoperative monitoring. Such a chapter would have complemented the offerings on renal failure

and cardiopulmonary complications. A frequent failing of multiauthored texts is the lack of a consistent format among authors. Unfortunately, such irregularity of approach is evident in this book. Certain authors have chosen to report only their personal experience and limit discussion to a very brief review of the literature, whereas others have expanded from their material and included varying and even opposed points of view. Although many of the illustrations are excellent, few of the drawings are original. Operative photographs and angiograms are well reproduced. In summary, this text continues to be a valuable asset to the practicing vascular surgeon. The topics are appropriate and well organized. Although the book does suffer in part from its diverse authorship, the presentation and material are quite good. Bruce L. Gewertz, MD. Uni9erri~ of Cbimgo