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Operative techniques in pediatric neurosurgery
retarded or otherwise neurologically impaired is that they hear and understand what you are saying.” Good advice like this is cheap at any price. It is this type of good judgment that permeates Clinical Pediatric Neurology and sets it apart from many of the small books crammed with anonymous lists that the house staff carry in their pockets. Add to this a fluid, easily understood English, good binding, glossy paper, and easy-to-read typefaces and this volume is a bargain. The book is not perfect. Some of the sections are uninspired. The discussion of antiepileptic drugs repeats FDA indications (which only have a tangential relationship to clinical practice) and does not offer much insight into the current utility of the newer agents. Collecting all the disorders primarily seen in newborns and infants in one chapter would have made the book more useful as would a more complete list of references. Nevertheless, although not perfect, this book is awfully good.
Lexington, KY
Robert J. Baumann, M.D. Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics University of Kentucky
Operative Techniques in Pediatric Neurosurgery Edited by A. Leland Albright, Ian F. Pollack, and P. David Adelson. 288 pp., illustrated. New York: Thieme, 2001. $179.00 ISBN 0-86577-846-9. Operative Techniques in Pediatric Neurosurgery, by Albright et al., is an adjunct to their more inclusive textbook, Principles and Practices of Pediatric Neurosurgery (1999). This book is presumed to be a quick reference for neurosurgeons, as well as an introductory text for nonsurgeons. According to the preface, the contributing authors are chosen for their experience and expertise in various operative techniques, recognizing that other approaches may be taken to achieve the same end. Emphasis is placed on “ ‘little’ techniques [that] may contribute importantly to the success of an operation.” The material is presented in a logical fashion, with major sections for
congenital/developmental disorders, trauma, neoplasms, vascular disease, and functional disorders. Under these broad headings, specific surgeries are addressed, including CSF shunting, cranial expansion, myelomeningocele and brachial plexus repairs, tumor and AVM resection, and epilepsy surgery. Chapter lengths are such that most are readily consumed within minutes but supply sufficient detail for the majority of readers. A plethora of intraoperative photographs and diagrammatic cartoons illustrate the narrative, although the quality varies among chapters. Helpful “pearls” and an editor’s commentary are found at the end of each chapter for emphasis or clarification of specific points. The section most helpful to the neurologist is that dealing with functional disorders. In it, specifics of preoperative evaluation and operative goals are discussed. Furthermore, the text delineates the surgeon’s role in a multidisciplinary approach to operable neurologic disorders. Although most authors suggest practical operative techniques to avoid complications, several do not address postoperative management and complications or do so in a cursory manner. Another concern is, that although more recent techniques, such as neuroendoscopy and intrathecal baclofen pump placement, are discussed in some detail, others are not mentioned (electronic valves in ventriculoperitoneal shunts or vagus nerve stimulation). Operative Techniques in Pediatric Neurosurgery is a straightforward book that serves as a quick reference to the neurosurgeon. More importantly, it fills a niche by introducing the neurologist to pediatric neurosurgery. Although the pediatric neurologist and neurosurgeon often share patients, most neurologists have a cursory knowledge of surgical interventions. This work provides a cogent discussion of these, so that the nonsurgeon may more immediately understand and appropriately utilize the surgeon’s services.
Loma Linda, CA
Chalmer McClure Division of Pediatric Neurology Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital
Book Reviews 259
Lexington, KY
Robert J. Baumann, M.D. Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics University of Kentucky
Operative Techniques in Pediatric Neurosurgery Edited by A. Leland Albright, Ian F. Pollack, and P. David Adelson. 288 pp., illustrated. New York: Thieme, 2001. $179.00 ISBN 0-86577-846-9. Operative Techniques in Pediatric Neurosurgery, by Albright et al., is an adjunct to their more inclusive textbook, Principles and Practices of Pediatric Neurosurgery (1999). This book is presumed to be a quick reference for neurosurgeons, as well as an introductory text for nonsurgeons. According to the preface, the contributing authors are chosen for their experience and expertise in various operative techniques, recognizing that other approaches may be taken to achieve the same end. Emphasis is placed on “ ‘little’ techniques [that] may contribute importantly to the success of an operation.” The material is presented in a logical fashion, with major sections for
congenital/developmental disorders, trauma, neoplasms, vascular disease, and functional disorders. Under these broad headings, specific surgeries are addressed, including CSF shunting, cranial expansion, myelomeningocele and brachial plexus repairs, tumor and AVM resection, and epilepsy surgery. Chapter lengths are such that most are readily consumed within minutes but supply sufficient detail for the majority of readers. A plethora of intraoperative photographs and diagrammatic cartoons illustrate the narrative, although the quality varies among chapters. Helpful “pearls” and an editor’s commentary are found at the end of each chapter for emphasis or clarification of specific points. The section most helpful to the neurologist is that dealing with functional disorders. In it, specifics of preoperative evaluation and operative goals are discussed. Furthermore, the text delineates the surgeon’s role in a multidisciplinary approach to operable neurologic disorders. Although most authors suggest practical operative techniques to avoid complications, several do not address postoperative management and complications or do so in a cursory manner. Another concern is, that although more recent techniques, such as neuroendoscopy and intrathecal baclofen pump placement, are discussed in some detail, others are not mentioned (electronic valves in ventriculoperitoneal shunts or vagus nerve stimulation). Operative Techniques in Pediatric Neurosurgery is a straightforward book that serves as a quick reference to the neurosurgeon. More importantly, it fills a niche by introducing the neurologist to pediatric neurosurgery. Although the pediatric neurologist and neurosurgeon often share patients, most neurologists have a cursory knowledge of surgical interventions. This work provides a cogent discussion of these, so that the nonsurgeon may more immediately understand and appropriately utilize the surgeon’s services.
Loma Linda, CA
Chalmer McClure Division of Pediatric Neurology Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital
Book Reviews 259