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Decision making in gastroenterology
Book Reviews
Book Reviews (cont’d) Decision Making in Gastroenterology. Edited by Joel S. Levine. Toronto: B. C. Decker, 1985.378 pages. In this latest of the series “Clinical Decision Making” published by B. C. Decker, the authors have provided
Coloproctology. Diagnosis and Outpatient Management. By John Nicholls and Richard Glass. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1985. $25.00. 236 pages. Our British colleagues offer this book as an overview of coloproctology, with special emphasis on diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of the outpatient. The text addresses physical examination and clinical investigation of benign and malignant anorectal problems, inflammatory disease of the anorectum, pelvic floor disorders, vascular disorders, and nonalimentary tract-related pelvic disease.
Continued
Volume 153, February 1997
The 49 line drawings produced by Geoffrey Lyth contribute significantly to the clarity of the text. The strength of the book lies in its consistent and concise format, which provides a description of a disease process, followed by patient history, differential diagnosis, physical examination, and clinical investigation sections. Several algorithms are useful adjuncts to the differential diagnosis sections. The chapter on physical examination of the anorectum is well written and is especially important since these techniques are often neglected in many medical school curricula. The inflammatory bowel chapter is the most comprehensive in the text, and will provide an excellent overview for most practitioners. One of the major weaknesses of the book is its failure to provide citations. Although an adequate bibliography is included at the end of each chapter, it is extremely inconvenient for the reader to identify the source for many of the statistics that are provided in the text. Outpatient techniques occasionally vary significantly from practices prevalent in the United States. This book was written for surgeons and physicians in training, faced with diagnosing and treating the outpatient with colorectal disease. I believe the authors attained this goal. For those who are unfamiliar with anorectal disorders, the book provides an excellent starting point. For those who are seeking a more authoritative or comprehensive source of information, a more advanced text will be required. Terry C. Hicks, MD New Orleans, Louisiana
Reconstructive Surgery of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Edited by Alfred Cuschieri and David B. Skinner. Stoneham, MA: Butterworths, 1986. $89.95.289 pages. This text consists of 11 authoritative chapters compiled by a small group representing surgeons from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Scandanavian peninsula. The format begins with a brief overview of the principles governing reconstructive gastrointestinal surgery. Also, various modalities employed in detecting disease and malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, biliary tract, and pancreas are included. Current tests to evaluate intestinal malabsorption are also referred to. Gastroesophageal reflux, including diagnosis, medical and surgical management, choice of operation, and complications, are discussed in a scholarly fashion. Reconstructive operations following partial and complete esophagectomy are dealt with in a brief and concise outline form. Such an approach is meaningful to the experienced gastric surgeon, but would appear to be of limited value to the surgical resident or to one with less experience in managing esophageal problems. The chapter on postgastrectomy syndromes fails to address the patient usually encountered, who has undergone numerous gastric procedures elsewhere and who presents with a complicated surgical problem or multiple problems. It would indeed be comforting to the remedial gastric surgeon if all patients
on page 248
247
Book Reviews (cont’d) Decision Making in Gastroenterology. Edited by Joel S. Levine. Toronto: B. C. Decker, 1985.378 pages. In this latest of the series “Clinical Decision Making” published by B. C. Decker, the authors have provided
Coloproctology. Diagnosis and Outpatient Management. By John Nicholls and Richard Glass. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1985. $25.00. 236 pages. Our British colleagues offer this book as an overview of coloproctology, with special emphasis on diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of the outpatient. The text addresses physical examination and clinical investigation of benign and malignant anorectal problems, inflammatory disease of the anorectum, pelvic floor disorders, vascular disorders, and nonalimentary tract-related pelvic disease.
Continued
Volume 153, February 1997
The 49 line drawings produced by Geoffrey Lyth contribute significantly to the clarity of the text. The strength of the book lies in its consistent and concise format, which provides a description of a disease process, followed by patient history, differential diagnosis, physical examination, and clinical investigation sections. Several algorithms are useful adjuncts to the differential diagnosis sections. The chapter on physical examination of the anorectum is well written and is especially important since these techniques are often neglected in many medical school curricula. The inflammatory bowel chapter is the most comprehensive in the text, and will provide an excellent overview for most practitioners. One of the major weaknesses of the book is its failure to provide citations. Although an adequate bibliography is included at the end of each chapter, it is extremely inconvenient for the reader to identify the source for many of the statistics that are provided in the text. Outpatient techniques occasionally vary significantly from practices prevalent in the United States. This book was written for surgeons and physicians in training, faced with diagnosing and treating the outpatient with colorectal disease. I believe the authors attained this goal. For those who are unfamiliar with anorectal disorders, the book provides an excellent starting point. For those who are seeking a more authoritative or comprehensive source of information, a more advanced text will be required. Terry C. Hicks, MD New Orleans, Louisiana
Reconstructive Surgery of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Edited by Alfred Cuschieri and David B. Skinner. Stoneham, MA: Butterworths, 1986. $89.95.289 pages. This text consists of 11 authoritative chapters compiled by a small group representing surgeons from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Scandanavian peninsula. The format begins with a brief overview of the principles governing reconstructive gastrointestinal surgery. Also, various modalities employed in detecting disease and malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, biliary tract, and pancreas are included. Current tests to evaluate intestinal malabsorption are also referred to. Gastroesophageal reflux, including diagnosis, medical and surgical management, choice of operation, and complications, are discussed in a scholarly fashion. Reconstructive operations following partial and complete esophagectomy are dealt with in a brief and concise outline form. Such an approach is meaningful to the experienced gastric surgeon, but would appear to be of limited value to the surgical resident or to one with less experience in managing esophageal problems. The chapter on postgastrectomy syndromes fails to address the patient usually encountered, who has undergone numerous gastric procedures elsewhere and who presents with a complicated surgical problem or multiple problems. It would indeed be comforting to the remedial gastric surgeon if all patients
on page 248
247