- Email: [email protected]
Spinal cord monitoring and electrodiagnosis
BOOK REVIEWS
331
Event-related brain research (EEG Suppl. No. 42). - C.H.M. Brunia, G. Mulder and M.V. Verbaten (Eds.) (Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1991, 408 p., Price: U.S. $202.50) This supplement to Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology contains most of the invited contributions to the " E P I C IX" International Conference on Event-Related Potentials held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, in s u m m e r 1989. The main sections include source localization (EEG and MEG), movement and stimulus-preceding brain activity, pharmacology and event-related potentials, selective attention and mental chronometry. There is also a section on aging and dementia. Most of the articles contribute to a better understanding of the very inhomogeneous field of event-related potentials which has been covered by as many as 34 articles. All authors are specialists of their respective fields and the presentation of the complex material is very attractive. The book is designed to fulfill a twofold task: first to give an overview of the whole field to a reader with some degree of basic knowledge, and secondly, to present a thorough update of the state of the art for scientists working in the same area. The reviewer likes to stress the opinion that both tasks have been accomplished in a satisfactory manner. The basic section includes, among others, topographic mapping (Wong), dipole localization (Scherg and Picton, Lopes da Silva and Spekreijse) and source localization of evoked potentials (Mitzdorf). For the reviewer's special interest, the discussion of selective attention and mental chronometry, especially shortlatency cognitive somatosensory effects (Desmedt and Tomberg) are of particular relevance. This volume represents an important contribution to the field of event-related potentials and should be accessible to all who are interested or working in the field. U. Bi~ttner
Department of Neurology, Eberhard-Karls- UniL'ersitiit, Tiibingen (Germany)
Spinal cord monitoring and electrodiagnosis. - K. Shimoji, T. Kurokawa, T. Tamaki and W.D. Willis, Jr. (Eds.) (Springer, Berlin, 1991, 546 p., 240 figs. and 70 tables, ISBN 3-540-52653-6, DM 186.00) This book is based on a selection of papers presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Spinal Cord Monitoring and Electrodiagnosis held in Niigata in 1989. As many other volumes from symposia, its main defect is represented by the sense perceived by the reader of a real avalange of data which have been dominated and reordered with some difficulty. In general a n u m b e r of different techniques concerning invasive and non-invasive methods for testing the functionality of segmental and propagated mechanisms of both ascending and descending spinal pathways are presented in a confused manner, without any general criticism or discussion. Several animal data are scanty or useless or might have been condensed in a unique presentation. Moreover, the chapter concerning electrophysiology of the spinal cord in the past 3 years has received so many contributions in the specialized literature that many of the proposed
data and methods are nowadays nearly obsolete. Of some relevance to the interested reader is the chapter on the Neuropharmacology of the Spinal Cord. As a general comment, I must notice that contributions from internationally renown names on the major topics are missing at a level that this volume should be considered the expression of a 'regional' group of experts. The naive reader will have some problems in following the large num'ger of contributions (64 subdivided in 3 sections); however, I am sure that those having some expertise in the field of recording and monitoring the spinal responses, will find some relevant ideas as well as will observe interesting tracings to justify the acquisition of this volume. Paolo M. Rossini
Ospedale F.B.F., Unicersith di Tor Vergata, 00173-Rome (Italy)
lntraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring in neurosurgery. - J. Schramm and A. M~ller (Eds.) (Springer, Berlin, 303 p., 139 figs. and 39 tables, ISBN 3-540-52655-2) The progressive increment of neurosurgical, otological and orthopaedic surgical procedures with an elevated rate of risk of damage to nervous structures located in the proximity of the operating theatre has prompted the development of monitoring techniques aiming to reduce such a risk of intraoperative damage. In parallel has grown the interest of clinical neurophysiologists, surgeons and anaesthesiologists to standardize the monitoring procedures in the course of several meetings, congresses and symposia. The present book is the result of one of these scientific meetings which was held in Erlangen. The goal of both the organizers of the meeting and the editors of this volume was to define the state of art of the neurophysiological techniques for intraoperative monitoring in the daily practice. Their efforts have been largely rewarded by an agile and useful handbook, well organized and illustrated. The reader will find a relatively extended explanation for somatosensory, auditory, motor evoked potential procedures, as well as for those methods aiming to protect peripheral nerves during surgery (i.e., the facial nerve during acoustic neuroma removal). The book is divided in 27 chapters explaining how to monitor the corticospinal pathways via SEPs and magnetic transcranial stimulation, and how to apply special techniques for monitoring in aneurysm operations, in acoustic neuroma operation, in posterior fossa operations etc. This referee agrees with the choice adopted by the two editors to limit the number of contributions and - consequently - to allow the individual authors a sufficiently large space to fully develop their arguments. The different chapters are well balanced and the editorial vest is appropriate with very few printing errors; the figures are (on average) of good quality. As a whole, this book should rightfully enter our libraries, certainly in those centres where monitoring of at-risk surgical procedures is considered of some interest (and I believe there are many and progressively increasing in number). Paolo M. Rossini
Ospedale F.B.F., Unit:ersith Tor Vergata, O0173-Rome (Italy)
331
Event-related brain research (EEG Suppl. No. 42). - C.H.M. Brunia, G. Mulder and M.V. Verbaten (Eds.) (Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1991, 408 p., Price: U.S. $202.50) This supplement to Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology contains most of the invited contributions to the " E P I C IX" International Conference on Event-Related Potentials held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, in s u m m e r 1989. The main sections include source localization (EEG and MEG), movement and stimulus-preceding brain activity, pharmacology and event-related potentials, selective attention and mental chronometry. There is also a section on aging and dementia. Most of the articles contribute to a better understanding of the very inhomogeneous field of event-related potentials which has been covered by as many as 34 articles. All authors are specialists of their respective fields and the presentation of the complex material is very attractive. The book is designed to fulfill a twofold task: first to give an overview of the whole field to a reader with some degree of basic knowledge, and secondly, to present a thorough update of the state of the art for scientists working in the same area. The reviewer likes to stress the opinion that both tasks have been accomplished in a satisfactory manner. The basic section includes, among others, topographic mapping (Wong), dipole localization (Scherg and Picton, Lopes da Silva and Spekreijse) and source localization of evoked potentials (Mitzdorf). For the reviewer's special interest, the discussion of selective attention and mental chronometry, especially shortlatency cognitive somatosensory effects (Desmedt and Tomberg) are of particular relevance. This volume represents an important contribution to the field of event-related potentials and should be accessible to all who are interested or working in the field. U. Bi~ttner
Department of Neurology, Eberhard-Karls- UniL'ersitiit, Tiibingen (Germany)
Spinal cord monitoring and electrodiagnosis. - K. Shimoji, T. Kurokawa, T. Tamaki and W.D. Willis, Jr. (Eds.) (Springer, Berlin, 1991, 546 p., 240 figs. and 70 tables, ISBN 3-540-52653-6, DM 186.00) This book is based on a selection of papers presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Spinal Cord Monitoring and Electrodiagnosis held in Niigata in 1989. As many other volumes from symposia, its main defect is represented by the sense perceived by the reader of a real avalange of data which have been dominated and reordered with some difficulty. In general a n u m b e r of different techniques concerning invasive and non-invasive methods for testing the functionality of segmental and propagated mechanisms of both ascending and descending spinal pathways are presented in a confused manner, without any general criticism or discussion. Several animal data are scanty or useless or might have been condensed in a unique presentation. Moreover, the chapter concerning electrophysiology of the spinal cord in the past 3 years has received so many contributions in the specialized literature that many of the proposed
data and methods are nowadays nearly obsolete. Of some relevance to the interested reader is the chapter on the Neuropharmacology of the Spinal Cord. As a general comment, I must notice that contributions from internationally renown names on the major topics are missing at a level that this volume should be considered the expression of a 'regional' group of experts. The naive reader will have some problems in following the large num'ger of contributions (64 subdivided in 3 sections); however, I am sure that those having some expertise in the field of recording and monitoring the spinal responses, will find some relevant ideas as well as will observe interesting tracings to justify the acquisition of this volume. Paolo M. Rossini
Ospedale F.B.F., Unicersith di Tor Vergata, 00173-Rome (Italy)
lntraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring in neurosurgery. - J. Schramm and A. M~ller (Eds.) (Springer, Berlin, 303 p., 139 figs. and 39 tables, ISBN 3-540-52655-2) The progressive increment of neurosurgical, otological and orthopaedic surgical procedures with an elevated rate of risk of damage to nervous structures located in the proximity of the operating theatre has prompted the development of monitoring techniques aiming to reduce such a risk of intraoperative damage. In parallel has grown the interest of clinical neurophysiologists, surgeons and anaesthesiologists to standardize the monitoring procedures in the course of several meetings, congresses and symposia. The present book is the result of one of these scientific meetings which was held in Erlangen. The goal of both the organizers of the meeting and the editors of this volume was to define the state of art of the neurophysiological techniques for intraoperative monitoring in the daily practice. Their efforts have been largely rewarded by an agile and useful handbook, well organized and illustrated. The reader will find a relatively extended explanation for somatosensory, auditory, motor evoked potential procedures, as well as for those methods aiming to protect peripheral nerves during surgery (i.e., the facial nerve during acoustic neuroma removal). The book is divided in 27 chapters explaining how to monitor the corticospinal pathways via SEPs and magnetic transcranial stimulation, and how to apply special techniques for monitoring in aneurysm operations, in acoustic neuroma operation, in posterior fossa operations etc. This referee agrees with the choice adopted by the two editors to limit the number of contributions and - consequently - to allow the individual authors a sufficiently large space to fully develop their arguments. The different chapters are well balanced and the editorial vest is appropriate with very few printing errors; the figures are (on average) of good quality. As a whole, this book should rightfully enter our libraries, certainly in those centres where monitoring of at-risk surgical procedures is considered of some interest (and I believe there are many and progressively increasing in number). Paolo M. Rossini
Ospedale F.B.F., Unit:ersith Tor Vergata, O0173-Rome (Italy)