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Perspectives in pediatric cardiology. Vol. 3. Pediatric cardiac catheterisation
International ,6 1991
Journal
of Cardiology,
34 (1992) 355-356
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved Olh7-5273/92/$05.00
CARD10 01434
Book Reviews Handbook
of Cardiac Catheterisation
Graham H. Miller Blackwell Scientific Publishers, Oxford/ London/Edinburgh, 1990; 115 pp.; f13.95 (paperback); ISBN 0-632-02691-X Over the years, there has been a desperate need for a book dealing with the essentials of cardiac catheterisation, to which a junior doctor in training could refer. Graham Miller has sought to fulfil this need and, for that, hc should be commended. Of necessity, such a book has to be concise and cheap. This has led to potentially serious omissions, such as good quality illustrations. The book is quite clearly aimed at junior doctors training in adult and paediatric cardiology and contains I15 pages of essential information. Each chapter deals with a particular aspect of cardiac catheterisation. For example. chapter 1 describes, albeit briefly. the types of catheters used, along with the Seldingcr and arteriotomy techniques commonly utilised in most institutions. Not even an abbreviated description of the techniques in paediatric cardiac cathcterisation is forthcoming, however, and that is a serious omission. Similarly, no details are given of how the catheters are manoeuvred through the tortuous routes encountered in adult and paediatric patients. Chapter 3 contains a very useful resume of interpretation of data. Nowadays, with the tendency to leave such interpretation to computers, the trainee is scriously deficient in the understanding of the hacmodynamic data. In chapters 3 and 4, it is a pity that reliance has been placed solely on diagrams, and not on angiographic illustrations. Including these illustrations would have made it easier to understand the technical information and enhanced the quality of the book, perhaps offsetting the resultant increase in the price. The same criticism applies even more strongly to the chapter on congenital heart disease. In chapter 7. coil embolisation has been illustrated and dealt with in detail. In clinical practice, the technique is used less commonly than that of umbrella closure of the arterial duct. It would have been much more useful for the
clinician had this latter technique been illustrated. An important chapter is the one on Calculations and Tables. Using clinical examples to illustrate the basic methods of calculating flows and resistances makes it that much easier to understand their value in practice. The book is well illustrated with hand diagrams, but lacks radiographs and angiograms. Putting that drawback aside. it is essential reading for all trainees in adult and paediatric cardiology. More importantly, in these days of high prices, this book is easily affordable. I recommend it highly.
Guy’s Hospital London. l_J.K.
Shakeel A. Qurcshi Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Perspectives in Pediatric Cardiology. atric Cardiac Catheterisation
Vol. 3. Pedi-
Editors: W.H. Neches, C. Park, J.R. Zuberbuhler Futura Publishing Company, Mount Kisco, New York, 1991; 453 pp.; $85; ISBN o-87993-500-6 Having read previous volumes of this exciting new series, I opened Volume 3 with considerable expectation and enthusiasm. I was not disappointed. This excellent 453 page textbook of paediatric cardiac catheterisation must surely contain all that the pacdiatric cardiologist in-training need to know about cardiac catheterisation, and a lot more besides. Like previous volumes, it is nicely bound. well written and the references are adequate, timely and (unusually for an American book) refer to publications on both sides of the Atlantic. This volume is divided into two sections. The first considers principles and techniques of catheterisation and is concerned with everything from the layout of a catheterisation laboratory. to physiological measurements, on to foreign body removal. The explicit and to my eyes barbaric illustrations of immobilisation techniques for young babies during cardiac catheterisation.
356
reaffirms my belief that general anaesthesia should be performed in this age group. The second section deals with the approach to specific lesions. The uniformity of style and layout between chapters is a tribute to the editorial skills of Dr. Neches and co-editors. Each chapter begins with a lucid and brief description of the applied anatomy, usually aided by an excellent line drawing. Each then continues with an appraisal of the indications for catheterisation, the techniques required and the hemodynamic and morphological data to be obtained. Although the quality of reproduction of the angiograms is
not as aesthetically appealing as those of another text of which I am familiar, in general they are more than adequate. I find it difficult to restrain myself from the use of superlatives in describing this book. There can be few (if any) more profitable ways in which a paediatric cardiologist could spend $85! Royal Brompton National
Heart & Lung Hosp. and The National
London.
U.K.
Heart
& Lung Inst.
Dan Penny
Journal
of Cardiology,
34 (1992) 355-356
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. All rights reserved Olh7-5273/92/$05.00
CARD10 01434
Book Reviews Handbook
of Cardiac Catheterisation
Graham H. Miller Blackwell Scientific Publishers, Oxford/ London/Edinburgh, 1990; 115 pp.; f13.95 (paperback); ISBN 0-632-02691-X Over the years, there has been a desperate need for a book dealing with the essentials of cardiac catheterisation, to which a junior doctor in training could refer. Graham Miller has sought to fulfil this need and, for that, hc should be commended. Of necessity, such a book has to be concise and cheap. This has led to potentially serious omissions, such as good quality illustrations. The book is quite clearly aimed at junior doctors training in adult and paediatric cardiology and contains I15 pages of essential information. Each chapter deals with a particular aspect of cardiac catheterisation. For example. chapter 1 describes, albeit briefly. the types of catheters used, along with the Seldingcr and arteriotomy techniques commonly utilised in most institutions. Not even an abbreviated description of the techniques in paediatric cardiac cathcterisation is forthcoming, however, and that is a serious omission. Similarly, no details are given of how the catheters are manoeuvred through the tortuous routes encountered in adult and paediatric patients. Chapter 3 contains a very useful resume of interpretation of data. Nowadays, with the tendency to leave such interpretation to computers, the trainee is scriously deficient in the understanding of the hacmodynamic data. In chapters 3 and 4, it is a pity that reliance has been placed solely on diagrams, and not on angiographic illustrations. Including these illustrations would have made it easier to understand the technical information and enhanced the quality of the book, perhaps offsetting the resultant increase in the price. The same criticism applies even more strongly to the chapter on congenital heart disease. In chapter 7. coil embolisation has been illustrated and dealt with in detail. In clinical practice, the technique is used less commonly than that of umbrella closure of the arterial duct. It would have been much more useful for the
clinician had this latter technique been illustrated. An important chapter is the one on Calculations and Tables. Using clinical examples to illustrate the basic methods of calculating flows and resistances makes it that much easier to understand their value in practice. The book is well illustrated with hand diagrams, but lacks radiographs and angiograms. Putting that drawback aside. it is essential reading for all trainees in adult and paediatric cardiology. More importantly, in these days of high prices, this book is easily affordable. I recommend it highly.
Guy’s Hospital London. l_J.K.
Shakeel A. Qurcshi Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Perspectives in Pediatric Cardiology. atric Cardiac Catheterisation
Vol. 3. Pedi-
Editors: W.H. Neches, C. Park, J.R. Zuberbuhler Futura Publishing Company, Mount Kisco, New York, 1991; 453 pp.; $85; ISBN o-87993-500-6 Having read previous volumes of this exciting new series, I opened Volume 3 with considerable expectation and enthusiasm. I was not disappointed. This excellent 453 page textbook of paediatric cardiac catheterisation must surely contain all that the pacdiatric cardiologist in-training need to know about cardiac catheterisation, and a lot more besides. Like previous volumes, it is nicely bound. well written and the references are adequate, timely and (unusually for an American book) refer to publications on both sides of the Atlantic. This volume is divided into two sections. The first considers principles and techniques of catheterisation and is concerned with everything from the layout of a catheterisation laboratory. to physiological measurements, on to foreign body removal. The explicit and to my eyes barbaric illustrations of immobilisation techniques for young babies during cardiac catheterisation.
356
reaffirms my belief that general anaesthesia should be performed in this age group. The second section deals with the approach to specific lesions. The uniformity of style and layout between chapters is a tribute to the editorial skills of Dr. Neches and co-editors. Each chapter begins with a lucid and brief description of the applied anatomy, usually aided by an excellent line drawing. Each then continues with an appraisal of the indications for catheterisation, the techniques required and the hemodynamic and morphological data to be obtained. Although the quality of reproduction of the angiograms is
not as aesthetically appealing as those of another text of which I am familiar, in general they are more than adequate. I find it difficult to restrain myself from the use of superlatives in describing this book. There can be few (if any) more profitable ways in which a paediatric cardiologist could spend $85! Royal Brompton National
Heart & Lung Hosp. and The National
London.
U.K.
Heart
& Lung Inst.
Dan Penny