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Drug therapy in neurology
Nerve i n j u r y Kline & Hudson W.B. Saunders, 1995 ISBN: 0721632645 596pp
Nerve Injuries-Operative Results for Major Nerve Injuries, Entrapments and Tumours took greater than 9 years to collate and author. During 1992-93, I had the great privilege o f meeting both authors and spending a considerable amount of time with Professor David Kline at Louisiana State University as his 25th International Fellow. At that stage the finishing touches were being applied to this long awaited book, that for me, can be regarded as the 'Bible' of peripheral nerve surgery. At the beginning of the book is a dedication to Sir Sydney Sunderland for his enormous work in the field of peripheral nerve anatomy and injuries. The forward is written by Professor George Over, The University of New Mexico, and outlines how this book represents Kline & Hudsons's 'agreed-upon approach to major problems and brings together two experts with international reputations in the field of peripheral nerve surgery'. The authors outline in the preface 'Rather than editing a multi-authored book, we have tried to consolidate the personal experiences of two clinicians who have been involved in the surgery of nerve injuries and repairs for the past 30 years including major nerve injuries, entrapments and tumours'. The text extends for just over 600 pages and is set in 21 chapters. The first 3 chapters deal with basic considerations of anatomy, mechanisms and pathology of injury and clinical and electrical evaluation. Chapters 4 and 5 are paramount regarding firstly, the results presented throughout the book and secondly, the authors major philosophy regarding the essential role of intra-operative monitoring. The former chapter deals with grading systems and outlines the Louisiana State University Medical Centre individual muscle grades, sensory grades and criteria for grading whole nerve injury. The results outlined throughout the rest of the book are based on these grades. The latter chapter deals with the importance of using intraoperative nerve action potential (NAP) monitoring to access nerve function and regeneration. The electrode equipment and technique used are discussed. The major body of the text then deals with upper limb nerves individually,
180
combined u p p e r extremity nerve injuries and lower limb nerves. 120 pages are then dedicated to brachial plexus injuries. This covers detailed anatomy and physiology, electrical studies, radiographic studies, lacerations, gunshot wounds and stretch injuries. The authors surgical indications and results of their enormous series are outlined. The remaining chapters deal with birth palsies, thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), accessory nerve injuries, pain of nerve origin and finally nerve tumours. This latter chapter deals extensively with benign and malignant neural and nonneural tumours, surgical results and a section on post radiation plexopathy. Any surgeon who performs peripheral nerve surgery should have this textbook in their library at close reach. DR MICHAELBIGGS Sydney
Drug therapy in neurology Eadie MJ. Churchill Livingstone, 1992 ISBN: 0-443-04407-4 595pp Over the past 20 years the major focus in clinical neurology has shifted from elegant anatomical localisation and pathological analysis of central and peripheral nervous system diseases, to one where management is as critical as precise diagnosis, employing a wide range of therapeutic strategies. Hence, the role of the clinical neurologist has changed from the provision of expert consultation with more limited treatment options, to a far greater degree of active and ongoing management of the range of acute and chronic neurological disorders. Furthermore, neurologists have become more involved in fields such as stroke and sleep disorders. This work is a comprehensive, multi-authored text which incorporates basic concepts in pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapy, through a range of drug therapies for neurological disorders and diseases. The authors of the various chapters underline the strength in clinical neuroscience in Australia, all o f them having international expertise in their subspecialty areas of interest. The scope of the book emphasises the breadth of neurological therapies, for conditions ranging from epilepsy, involuntary movement disorders and headache through to management of the demyelinating diseases, cerebral vascular disorders, muscle and autonomic diseases, dementia and disorders of
J. Clin. Neuroscience Volume 3 Number 2 April 1996
sleep. In many of these areas important recent advances have been made. For example, in anticonvulsant therapy a n u m b e r of important new agents, such as Lamotrigine, Gabapentin and Vigabatrin have now been released, the first 'new' anticonvulsant medications for nearly 20 years. In demyelinating neuropathies there is a valuable up to date discussion of the various merits of plasma exchange, intravenous gammaglobulin and immunosuppressive therapy, as well as approaches to therapy for a range of both common and rare neuropathies. Similarly, there is a comprehensive overview of the neurobiology and drug therapy options in various types of brain tumour, including recent advances in immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy, the latter pioneered in Melbourne. There is an excellent chapter on cerebral vascular disorders incorporating a summary of the experimental therapies to limit infarct size as well as an insightful overview of primary and secondary prevention strategies. Another highlight of the book is the chapter on involuntary movement disorders where important advances have been made in therapy for conditions as diverse as Parkinson's disease, various types of dystonia and Tourette's syndrome. The book was published in 1992, so that some of the drugs discussed in various chapters have now been introduced, while further therapeutic trials have been published. With the rapid advances in neurological therapy a revised edition will be n e e d e d in the not too distant future. This book can be strongly recomm e n d e d for any clinical neurologist or neurosurgeon and would also have appeal to internal medicine specialists. It is likely to be a well-thumbed reference book in the office of any physician treating neurological disorders. DR STEPHEN DAVIS Melbourne
Handbook of stereotaxy using the CRW apparatus Malcolm E Pell and David G.T. Thomas Williams & Wilkins, 1994 ISBN: 0683068350 240pp RRP $195 Stereotaxy has become an important part of neurosurgery. With improvements in instrumentation and computer hardware and software, targets can be localised very accurately and simply. Deep brain implantation and functional
Nerve Injuries-Operative Results for Major Nerve Injuries, Entrapments and Tumours took greater than 9 years to collate and author. During 1992-93, I had the great privilege o f meeting both authors and spending a considerable amount of time with Professor David Kline at Louisiana State University as his 25th International Fellow. At that stage the finishing touches were being applied to this long awaited book, that for me, can be regarded as the 'Bible' of peripheral nerve surgery. At the beginning of the book is a dedication to Sir Sydney Sunderland for his enormous work in the field of peripheral nerve anatomy and injuries. The forward is written by Professor George Over, The University of New Mexico, and outlines how this book represents Kline & Hudsons's 'agreed-upon approach to major problems and brings together two experts with international reputations in the field of peripheral nerve surgery'. The authors outline in the preface 'Rather than editing a multi-authored book, we have tried to consolidate the personal experiences of two clinicians who have been involved in the surgery of nerve injuries and repairs for the past 30 years including major nerve injuries, entrapments and tumours'. The text extends for just over 600 pages and is set in 21 chapters. The first 3 chapters deal with basic considerations of anatomy, mechanisms and pathology of injury and clinical and electrical evaluation. Chapters 4 and 5 are paramount regarding firstly, the results presented throughout the book and secondly, the authors major philosophy regarding the essential role of intra-operative monitoring. The former chapter deals with grading systems and outlines the Louisiana State University Medical Centre individual muscle grades, sensory grades and criteria for grading whole nerve injury. The results outlined throughout the rest of the book are based on these grades. The latter chapter deals with the importance of using intraoperative nerve action potential (NAP) monitoring to access nerve function and regeneration. The electrode equipment and technique used are discussed. The major body of the text then deals with upper limb nerves individually,
180
combined u p p e r extremity nerve injuries and lower limb nerves. 120 pages are then dedicated to brachial plexus injuries. This covers detailed anatomy and physiology, electrical studies, radiographic studies, lacerations, gunshot wounds and stretch injuries. The authors surgical indications and results of their enormous series are outlined. The remaining chapters deal with birth palsies, thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), accessory nerve injuries, pain of nerve origin and finally nerve tumours. This latter chapter deals extensively with benign and malignant neural and nonneural tumours, surgical results and a section on post radiation plexopathy. Any surgeon who performs peripheral nerve surgery should have this textbook in their library at close reach. DR MICHAELBIGGS Sydney
Drug therapy in neurology Eadie MJ. Churchill Livingstone, 1992 ISBN: 0-443-04407-4 595pp Over the past 20 years the major focus in clinical neurology has shifted from elegant anatomical localisation and pathological analysis of central and peripheral nervous system diseases, to one where management is as critical as precise diagnosis, employing a wide range of therapeutic strategies. Hence, the role of the clinical neurologist has changed from the provision of expert consultation with more limited treatment options, to a far greater degree of active and ongoing management of the range of acute and chronic neurological disorders. Furthermore, neurologists have become more involved in fields such as stroke and sleep disorders. This work is a comprehensive, multi-authored text which incorporates basic concepts in pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapy, through a range of drug therapies for neurological disorders and diseases. The authors of the various chapters underline the strength in clinical neuroscience in Australia, all o f them having international expertise in their subspecialty areas of interest. The scope of the book emphasises the breadth of neurological therapies, for conditions ranging from epilepsy, involuntary movement disorders and headache through to management of the demyelinating diseases, cerebral vascular disorders, muscle and autonomic diseases, dementia and disorders of
J. Clin. Neuroscience Volume 3 Number 2 April 1996
sleep. In many of these areas important recent advances have been made. For example, in anticonvulsant therapy a n u m b e r of important new agents, such as Lamotrigine, Gabapentin and Vigabatrin have now been released, the first 'new' anticonvulsant medications for nearly 20 years. In demyelinating neuropathies there is a valuable up to date discussion of the various merits of plasma exchange, intravenous gammaglobulin and immunosuppressive therapy, as well as approaches to therapy for a range of both common and rare neuropathies. Similarly, there is a comprehensive overview of the neurobiology and drug therapy options in various types of brain tumour, including recent advances in immunotherapy and photodynamic therapy, the latter pioneered in Melbourne. There is an excellent chapter on cerebral vascular disorders incorporating a summary of the experimental therapies to limit infarct size as well as an insightful overview of primary and secondary prevention strategies. Another highlight of the book is the chapter on involuntary movement disorders where important advances have been made in therapy for conditions as diverse as Parkinson's disease, various types of dystonia and Tourette's syndrome. The book was published in 1992, so that some of the drugs discussed in various chapters have now been introduced, while further therapeutic trials have been published. With the rapid advances in neurological therapy a revised edition will be n e e d e d in the not too distant future. This book can be strongly recomm e n d e d for any clinical neurologist or neurosurgeon and would also have appeal to internal medicine specialists. It is likely to be a well-thumbed reference book in the office of any physician treating neurological disorders. DR STEPHEN DAVIS Melbourne
Handbook of stereotaxy using the CRW apparatus Malcolm E Pell and David G.T. Thomas Williams & Wilkins, 1994 ISBN: 0683068350 240pp RRP $195 Stereotaxy has become an important part of neurosurgery. With improvements in instrumentation and computer hardware and software, targets can be localised very accurately and simply. Deep brain implantation and functional